Isaac Blesses Esau and Jacob

For your reference, search the scriptures in Genesis 27, John 1 and Galatians 3.

Isaac was old with poor eyesight when he talked to his son, Esau, and said for him to hunt and prepare savoury meat for him so that he could bless Esau (Genesis 27:4).

Rebekah overheard Isaac talking to Esau and worked deceptively to have her son, Jacob, receive the blessing instead of Esau. In order to do this, Rebekah commanded Jacob to bring two goats from their flock and she prepared savoury meat for Jacob to take to Isaac. Jacob also had to go disguised as Esau (Genesis 27:5-16).

Rebekah provided Jacob with some of Esau's clothes that were in her house (Genesis 27:15). Since Esau was a hairy man, Rebekah placed "...the skins of the kids of the goats upon [Jacob's] hands, and upon the smooth of his neck (Genesis 27:16)[.] This was done in case Isaac sensed the switch and requested to feel for the hair (Genesis 27:12).

Jacob took the meal to Isaac, saying, "...I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me" (Genesis 27:19). Isaac wondered how Esau had found the venison so quickly. Jacob replied, "Because the Lord thy God brought it to me" (Genesis 27:20).

Isaac had Jacob to come near him so he could feel whether he was Esau or not (Genesis 27:21). Noticing a difference, Isaac said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau" (Genesis 27:22). Since the hands were hairy, Isaac discerned it to be Esau and blessed Jacob (Genesis 27:23). Thus, bestowing Esau's blessing upon Jacob.

Isaac even asked Jacob, "Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am" (Genesis 27:24). Isaac then ate and drank wine that Jacob brought to him (Genesis 27:25).

"And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son" (Genesis 27:26).

"And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed" (Genesis 27:27):

"Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine" (Genesis 27:28).

"Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee" (Genesis 27:29).

Jacob had barely left Isaac's presence after the blessing when Esau made it back from hunting (Genesis 27:30). Isaac brought the savoury food for his father to bless him (Genesis 27:31). Isaac said to him, "Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau" (Genesis 27:32). Isaac asked who and where was he that had already brought him venison. Isaac stated, "...he shall be blessed" (Genesis 27:33).

"And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father" (Genesis 27:34).

"And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing" (Genesis 27:35).

"And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me" (Genesis 27:36)?

"And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son (Genesis 27:37)?

"And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept" (Genesis 27:38).

"And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above" (Genesis 27:39);

"And by the sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck" (Genesis 27:40).

The deceptive behavior of Rebekah and Jacob led to Esau having hatred in his heart toward Jacob. Esau's hatred was so strong that he said in his heart he would slay Jacob (Genesis 27:41).

Rebekah was told of Esau's intentions to kill Jacob; therefore, she told Jacob to flee to Haran where her brother, Laban, lived and stay there until Esau's fury goes away (Genesis 27:43,44).

The chapter ends with Rebekah making a comment to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me" (Genesis 27:46)?

The need for Jesus' grace and truth becomes more and more clear as events unfold in the Old Testament (John 1:17). Before faith in Christ, though, the law of Moses will come to serve as 'schoolmaster' until Christ comes (Galatians 3:24).