How Jacob Deceived His Father

Now Isaac prayed to Jehovah for his wife, because she had no children;

and Jehovah heard his prayer, and Rebekah became the mother of twin

boys. They named one Esau and the other Jacob.



As they grew up, Esau became a skilful hunter, a man who lived out in

the fields; but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed about the tents. Isaac

loved Esau, for he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.



Once when Jacob was preparing a stew, Esau came in from the fields, and

he was very hungry; so he said to Jacob, "Let me swallow some of that

red stew, for I am very hungry." But Jacob said, "Sell me first of all

your right as the eldest." Esau replied, "See, I am nearly dead now! So

of what use is this birthright to me?" Jacob said, "First solemnly

promise to give it to me." So Esau solemnly promised and sold his

birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and stewed lentils, and

when he had had something to eat and drink, he got up and went away. In

this way Esau gave away his birthright.



When Isaac was so old and so nearly blind that he could not see, he

called Esau his oldest son and said to him, "My son." Esau answered,

"Here am I." Then Isaac said, "See, I am old and do not know how soon I

may die. Now, therefore, take your quiver and your bow and go out into

the fields and hunt game for me and prepare for me savory food, such as

I love, and bring it to me that I may eat and that I may bless you

before I die."



Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau

went into the fields to hunt game, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "I

just now heard your father say to your brother Esau, 'Bring me game and

prepare for me savory food that I may eat it and bless you before I

die.' Now, my son, do as I tell you: Go to the flock and bring me from

there two good kids, and I will make of them savory food for your

father, such as he loves. Then take it to him, that he may eat, so that

he may bless you before he dies." But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother,

"You know that my brother Esau is a hairy man, while I am smooth.

Perhaps my father will feel of me; then I shall appear to him as a

deceiver, and I shall bring blame upon me and not a blessing." But his

mother said to him, "Upon me be the blame, my son; only obey me and go,

bring the kids to me." So he went and brought them to his mother, and

his mother made savory food such as his father loved.



Rebekah also took the fine clothes of her older son Esau, which she had

with her in the tent, and put them on her younger son Jacob. Then she

put the skins of the kids upon his hands and upon the smooth part of his

neck, and she placed the savory food and the bread which she had

prepared in his hand, and he went to his father and said, "My father."

Isaac answered, "Here am I; who are you, my son?" Jacob said, "I am Esau

your oldest son. I have done as you commanded me. Sit up and eat of my

game, that you may bless me." Isaac said to his son, "How very quickly

you have found it, my son." He answered, "Yes, because Jehovah your God

gave me success."



Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come here, my son, that I may feel of you to

find out whether you are really my son Esau or not." So Jacob went near

to Isaac his father, and he felt of him and said, "The voice is the

voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau. Are you really my

son Esau?" Jacob answered, "I am." And Isaac did not recognize him, for

his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's. So he blessed him. Then

Isaac said, "Bring the food to me, that I may eat of my son's game and

bless you." So he brought it to him, and he ate. Jacob also brought him

wine, and he drank.



Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near now and kiss me, my son."

As he came near and kissed him, he smelled the smell of his garment, and

blessed him.



As soon as Isaac had given Jacob his blessing, and Jacob was about to

leave his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also had

made savory food and was bringing it to his father. So he said to him,

"Father, rise and eat of your son's game, that you may bless me." But

Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you?" He answered, "I am your

son, your oldest, Esau." Then Isaac trembled and said, "Who then is he

that has hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate plentifully

before you came, and blessed him? Also blessed shall he be!"



When Esau heard the words of his father, he uttered a loud and bitter

cry and said to his father, "Bless me, even me also, O my father."



But Isaac said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your

blessing." Esau said, "Is it not because he was named Jacob, which means

Supplanter, that he has supplanted me these two times: he took my

birthright, and now he has taken my blessing!" Then he said, "Have you

kept a blessing for me?" Isaac answered Esau, "See, I have made him your

master and I have given to him all his relatives as servants and grain

and wine as his food. What then can I do for you, my son?" Esau said to

his father, "Is that the only blessing you have, my father?" and Esau

began to weep aloud. Then Isaac his father answered him:



"You shall live far from earth's fertile places,

And away from the dew of heaven.

By your sword you shall live,

And your brother you shall serve."