Genesis 27:34–41

³⁴Esau, hearing his father’s words, sobbed violently and most bitterly, and cried to his father, “My father! Can’t you also bless me?”

³⁵“Your brother,” he said, “came here falsely and took your blessing.”

³⁶Esau said, “Not for nothing was he named Jacob, the Heel. Twice now he’s tricked me: first he took my birthright and now he’s taken my blessing.”

He begged, “Haven’t you kept back any blessing for me?”

³⁷Isaac answered Esau, “I’ve made him your master, and all his brothers his servants, and lavished grain and wine on him. I’ve given it all away. What’s left for you, my son?”

³⁸“But don’t you have just one blessing for me, Father? Oh, bless me my father! Bless me!” Esau sobbed inconsolably.

^39–40Isaac said to him,

You’ll live far from Earth’s bounty,

remote from Heaven’s dew.

You’ll live by your sword, hand-to-mouth,

and you’ll serve your brother.

But when you can’t take it any more

you’ll break loose and run free.

⁴¹Esau seethed in anger against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him; he brooded, “The time for mourning my father’s death is close. And then I’ll kill my brother Jacob.”