GENESIS 27: Esau and Jacob

In Genesis chapter 27 we return to the story of the sons of Isaac: Esau and Jacob. But first, we will go back to the last few verses of the previous chapter…

ESAU GETS MARRIED

Esau decided to get married, which is a good thing. Sadly, he married with not one, but two women. And to make matters worse, they were Canaanite women, whose traditions and values were very different than those of Isaac’s family. The consequence of this bad decision was soon made evident…

(Genesis 26:34-35)  When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite,  (35)  and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.

This chapter begins by grieving over the women Esau had chosen, and ends with Jacob’s parents desiring him to marry a woman that was not from Canaan, preferably form their kindred, as Isaac had done.

(Genesis 27:46)  Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?"

The Bible does not mention what specifically were Esau’s wives doing that would distress Rebecca. What it does mention is that she was so troubled that she wanted to die.

Also Isaac was bothered by Esau’s wives. However, he had a weakness towards Esau, since he was his favorite.

ISAAC’S BLINDNESS

Isaac had a physical impediment: he could not see well. This was not only a physical defect, it also affected him spiritually.

(Genesis 27:1-4)  When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son"; and he answered, "Here I am."  (2)  He said, "Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death.  (3)  Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me,  (4)  and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die." 

In spite of his rebellious behavior, Esau was still his favorite son, and Isaac had decided to bless him with the birthright before dying. This may seem to be a normal decision, but we must not forget the revelation Rebecca received before the twins were born and the fact that Esau had sold his right to the birthright.

However, Rebecca did not forget, and therefore decided to take action and prevent such mistake.

(Genesis 27:5-10)  Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it,  (6)  Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "I heard your father speak to your brother Esau,  (7) 'Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.'  (8)  Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you.  (9)  Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves.  (10) And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies." 

However, was deception a solution to Isaac’s spiritual blindness? We certainly know that an evil does not erase another evil, it only multiplies it. Rebecca was also acting wrongly, even if she “was right”. That is why Jacob did not want to be a part of this plan…

(Genesis 27:11-12)  But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.  (12)  Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing." 

Jacob was a man who feared God. He did not want to receive a curse, but a blessing. However, his mother insisted, and told him she would take the blame.

(Genesis 27:13)  His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me."

Because of the implications, this was a very risky decision. Rebecca’s insistence could be attributed to one of two reasons: either she was also blinded by her preference of Jacob or she was convinced that this was the right thing to do in the eyes of God.

Even if Rebecca was right, it was not a valid reason for deception. The Bible teaches us that we must overcome evil with good – not by reacting with evil (Romans 12:21). Rebecca should have appealed, prayed, and interceded. This is not giving up, but letting God work, while we do what is righteous and upright. However, Rebecca decided to take matters into her own hands (as if God could not open or close doors, touch hearts and open eyes). By taking the easy way out and fighting evil with evil, both Rebecca and Jacob had to pay a very high price… as we will see in the following chapters.

In the end, Jacob followed his mother’s advice.

(Genesis 27:14-20)  So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved.  (15)  Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.  (16)  And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.  (17)  And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.  (18)  So he went in 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; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me."  (20)  But Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" He answered, "Because the LORD your God granted me success." 

Note that Jacob said: the Lord “your” God. We must not overlook that the sons of Isaac had not yet recognized YHWH as their own God. This is a personal decision that generally comes after having a personal experience with God.

BEFORE ISAAC

When Jacob presented himself before his father, disguised as his brother, Isaac perceived that the voice he heard was not Esau’s, and therefore asked him to draw near to touch him.

(Genesis 27:21-27)  Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not."  (22)  So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."  (23)  And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him.  (24)  He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He answered, "I am."  (25)  Then he said, "Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you." So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.  (26)  Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and kiss me, my son."  (27)  So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed!

With this experience we notice the degree of blindness that Isaac had. It was vey easy to deceive him and manipulate him. He believed what he wanted to believe, without considering the evidence.

It may be a cause for conflict to see the “Bible heroes” with such character flaws and making such serious mistakes. The Bible is not a fairy tale, but the real story of the people of God. Here we read about the patriarchs just as they really were, with their virtues as well as their defects. This is reality; no one is perfect, except for God. Therefore, when we read their story we can identify ourselves with them and learn from them…

(1 Corinthians 10:11-12)  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.  (12)  Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

During our next study we will read about Isaac’s blessing to each of his sons and how the truth will be made evident…