The Stolen Blessing

30 Now it came about, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, that his brother Esau came in from his hunting. 31 Then he also made a delicious meal, and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, “(A)Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that [a](B)you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “(C)Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, (D)your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac [b]trembled violently, and said, “(E)Who then was he who hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate from all of it before you came, and blessed him? (F)Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 When Esau heard the words of his father, (G)he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me as well, my father!” 35 And he said, “(H)Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.” 36 Then Esau said, “[c]Is he not rightly named (I)[d]Jacob, for he has betrayed me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 But Isaac replied to Esau, “Behold, I have made him (J)your master, and I have given to him all his relatives [e]as servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, me as well, my father.” So Esau raised his voice and (K)wept.

39 Then (L)his father Isaac answered and said to him,

“Behold, [f](M)away from the [g]fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling,
And [h]away from the dew of heaven from above.
40 And by your sword you shall live,
And (N)you shall serve your brother;
But it shall come about (O)when you become restless,
That you will [i]break his yoke from your neck.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 27:31 Lit your soul
  2. Genesis 27:33 Lit trembled with a very great trembling
  3. Genesis 27:36 Or Was he then named Jacob that he has
  4. Genesis 27:36 Fr Heb verb meaning to seize someone by the heel, and so to betray
  5. Genesis 27:37 Lit for
  6. Genesis 27:39 Or of
  7. Genesis 27:39 Lit fatness
  8. Genesis 27:39 Or of
  9. Genesis 27:40 Lit tear off

30 After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. 31 He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, “My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”(A)

32 His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”(B)

“I am your son,” he answered, “your firstborn, Esau.(C)

33 Isaac trembled violently and said, “Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me?(D) I ate it just before you came and I blessed him—and indeed he will be blessed!(E)

34 When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry(F) and said to his father, “Bless(G) me—me too, my father!”

35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully(H) and took your blessing.”(I)

36 Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob[a]?(J) This is the second time he has taken advantage of(K) me: He took my birthright,(L) and now he’s taken my blessing!”(M) Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”

37 Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine.(N) So what can I possibly do for you, my son?”

38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.(O)

39 His father Isaac answered him,(P)

“Your dwelling will be
    away from the earth’s richness,
    away from the dew(Q) of heaven above.(R)
40 You will live by the sword
    and you will serve(S) your brother.(T)
But when you grow restless,
    you will throw his yoke
    from off your neck.(U)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 27:36 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he takes advantage of or he deceives.