Jacob’s Deception

1 Now it came about, when Isaac was old and ahis eyes were too dim to see, that he called his bolder son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.”

2 1aIsaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death.

3 “Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and ahunt game for me;

4 and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that amy soul may bless you before I die.”

5 Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring home,

6 aRebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying,

7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’

8 “Now therefore, my son, alisten to 1me 2as I command you.

9 “Go now to the flock and 1bring me two choice 2young goats from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves.

10 “Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.”

11 Jacob 1answered his mother Rebekah, “Behold, Esau my brother is a ahairy man and I am a smooth man.

12 “aPerhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a 1deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.”

13 But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only aobey my voice, and go, get them for me.”

14 So he went and got them, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made savory food such as his father loved.

15 Then Rebekah took the 1best agarments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.

16 And she put the skins of the 1young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.

17 She also gave the savory food and the bread, which she had made, 1to her son Jacob.

18 Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”

19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. aGet up, please, sit and eat of my game, that 1byou may bless me.”

20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “aBecause the Lord your God caused it to happen to me.”

21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, that aI may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

22 So Jacob came close to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

23 He did not recognize him, because his hands were ahairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him.

24 And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.”

25 So he said, “Bring it to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, that 1aI may bless you.” And he brought it to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine and he drank.

26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come close and kiss me, my son.”

27 So he came close and kissed him; and when he smelled the smell of his garments, he ablessed him and said,

“See, bthe smell of my son

Is like the smell of a field cwhich the Lord has blessed;

28 Now may aGod give you of the dew of heaven,

And of the bfatness of the earth,

And an abundance of grain and new wine;

29 aMay peoples serve you,

And nations bow down to you;

bBe master of your brothers,

cAnd may your mother’s sons bow down to you.

dCursed be those who curse you,

And blessed be those who bless you.”