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30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and almost before Jacob had left his father, Esau returned from his hunt. 31 Esau prepared a delicious meal and brought it to his father. Then he said, “Sit up, my father, and eat my wild game so you can give me your blessing.”

32 But Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”

Esau replied, “It’s your son, your firstborn son, Esau.”

33 Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably and said, “Then who just served me wild game? I have already eaten it, and I blessed him just before you came. And yes, that blessing must stand!”

34 When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry. “Oh my father, what about me? Bless me, too!” he begged.

35 But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.”

36 Esau exclaimed, “No wonder his name is Jacob, for now he has cheated me twice.[a] First he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my blessing. Oh, haven’t you saved even one blessing for me?”

37 Isaac said to Esau, “I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine—what is left for me to give you, my son?”

38 Esau pleaded, “But do you have only one blessing? Oh my father, bless me, too!” Then Esau broke down and wept.

39 Finally, his father, Isaac, said to him,

“You will live away from the richness of the earth,
    and away from the dew of the heaven above.
40 You will live by your sword,
    and you will serve your brother.
But when you decide to break free,
    you will shake his yoke from your neck.”

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Footnotes

  1. 27:36 Jacob sounds like the Hebrew words for “heel” and “deceiver.”

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)

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Footnotes

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