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Jacob acquires his father’s blessing

27 When Isaac had grown old and his eyesight was failing, he summoned his older son Esau and said to him, “My son?”

And Esau said, “I’m here.”

He said, “I’m old and don’t know when I will die. So now, take your hunting gear, your bow and quiver of arrows, go out to the field, and hunt game for me. Make me the delicious food that I love and bring it to me so I can eat. Then I can bless you before I die.”

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27 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see,(A) he called for Esau his older son(B) and said to him, “My son.”

“Here I am,” he answered.

Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death.(C) Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country(D) to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like(E) and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing(F) before I die.”(G)

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15 Rebekah took her older son Esau’s favorite clothes that were in the house with her, and she put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 On his arms and smooth neck she put the hide of young goats, 17 and the delicious food and the bread she had made she put into her son’s hands.

18 Jacob went to his father and said, “My father.”

And he said, “I’m here. Who are you, my son?”

19 Jacob said to his father, “I’m Esau your oldest son. I’ve made what you asked me to. Sit up and eat some of the game so you can bless me.”

20 Isaac said to his son, “How could you find this so quickly, my son?”

He said, “The Lord your God led me right to it.”[a]

21 Isaac said to Jacob, “Come here and let me touch you, my son. Are you my son Esau or not?” 22 So Jacob approached his father Isaac, and Isaac touched him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the arms are Esau’s arms.” 23 Isaac didn’t recognize him because his arms were hairy like Esau’s arms, so he blessed him.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 27:20 Or made something good happen for me

15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes(A) of Esau her older son,(B) which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins.(C) 17 Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.

18 He went to his father and said, “My father.”

“Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?”(D)

19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn.(E) I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game,(F) so that you may give me your blessing.”(G)

20 Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”

“The Lord your God gave me success,(H)” he replied.

21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you,(I) my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.”

22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac,(J) who touched(K) him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau;(L) so he proceeded to bless him.

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Jacob’s dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and set out for Haran. 11 He reached a certain place and spent the night there. When the sun had set, he took one of the stones at that place and put it near his head. Then he lay down there. 12 He dreamed and saw a raised staircase, its foundation on earth and its top touching the sky, and God’s messengers were ascending and descending on it. 13 Suddenly the Lord was standing on it[a] and saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will become like the dust of the earth; you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. Every family of earth will be blessed because of you and your descendants. 15 I am with you now, I will protect you everywhere you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done everything that I have promised you.”

16 When Jacob woke from his sleep, he thought to himself, The Lord is definitely in this place, but I didn’t know it. 17 He was terrified and thought, This sacred place is awesome. It’s none other than God’s house and the entrance to heaven.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:13 Or beside it or beside him

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beersheba(A) and set out for Harran.(B) 11 When he reached a certain place,(C) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(D) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(E) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.(F) 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord,(G) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(H) I will give you and your descendants the land(I) on which you are lying.(J) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(K) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(L) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b](M) 15 I am with you(N) and will watch over you(O) wherever you go,(P) and I will bring you back to this land.(Q) I will not leave you(R) until I have done what I have promised you.(S)(T)

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(U) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!(V) This is none other than the house of God;(W) this is the gate of heaven.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
  2. Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)