Genesis — Chapter 27

Passage

Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see: and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him: My son? And he answered: Here I am. And his father said to him, You seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death. Take your arms, your quiver, and bow, and go abroad; and when you have taken something by hunting, Make me a savoury meat thereof, as you know I like, and bring it that I may eat: and my soul may bless you, before I die. And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the field to fulfil his father's commandment, She said to her son Jacob: I heard your father talking with Esau, your brother, and saying to him: Bring me of your hunting, and make me meats that I may eat, and bless you in the sight of the Lord, before I die. Now therefore, my son, follow my counsel: And go your way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best, that I may make of them meat for your father, such as he gladly eats. Which when you have brought in, and he has eaten, he may bless you before he die. And he answered her: You know that Esau, my brother, is a hairy man, and I am smooth: If my father should feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing. And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son: only hear you my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said. He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked. And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she had at home with her: And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck. And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread that she had baked. Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he answered: I hear. Who art you, my son? And Jacob said: I am Esau, your firstborn: I have done as you didst command me: arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me. And Isaac said to his son: How couldst you find it so quickly, my son? He answered: It was the will of God, that what I sought came quickly in my way: And Isaac said: Come here, that I may feel you, my son, and may prove whether you be my son Esau, or no. He came near to his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob; but the hands, are the hands of Esau. And he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like to the elder. Then blessing him, He said: Are you my son Esau? He answered: I am. Then he said: Bring me the meats of your hunting, my son, that my soul may bless you. And when they were brought, and he had eaten, he offered him wine also, which after he had drunk, He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son. He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him, he said: See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord has blessed. God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine. And let peoples serve you, and tribes worship you: be you lord of your brethren, and let your mother's children bow down before you. Cursed be he that curseth you: and let him that blesseth you be filled with blessings. Isaac had scarce ended his words, when, Jacob being now gone out abroad, Esau came, And brought in to his father meats, made of what he had taken in hunting, saying: Arise, my father, and eat of your son's venison; that your soul may bless me. And Isaac said to him: Why! who art you? He answered: I am your firstborn son, Esau. Isaac was struck with fear, and astonished exceedingly; and wondering beyond what can be believed, said: Who is he then that even now brought me venison that he had taken, and I ate of all before you camest? and I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. Esau having heard his father's words, roared out with a great cry; and, being in a consternation, said: Bless me also, my father. And he said: Your brother came deceitfully and got your blessing. But he said again: Rightly is his name called Jacob; for he has supplanted me lo this second time: My birthright he took away before, and now this second time he has stolen away my blessing. And again he said to his father: Hast you not reserved me also a blessing? Isaac answered: I have appointed him your lord, and have made all his brethren his servants: I have established him with corn and wine, and after this, what shall I do more for you, my son? And Esau said to him: Hast you only one blessing, father? I beseech you bless me also. And when he wept with a loud cry, Isaac being moved, said to him: In the fat of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above, Shall your blessing be. You will live by the sword, and will serve your brother: and the time shall come, when you will shake off and loose his yoke from your neck. Esau therefore always hated Jacob, for the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and he said in his heart: The days will come of the mourning for my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob. These things were told to Rebecca: and she sent and called Jacob, her son, and said to him: See Esau, your brother, threateneth to kill you. Now therefore, my son, hear my voice, arise and flee to Laban, my brother, to Haran: And you will dwell with him a few days, till the wrath of your brother be assuaged, And his indignation cease, and he forget the things you have done to him: afterwards I will send, and bring you from there here. Why shall I be deprived of both my sons in one day? And Rebecca said to Isaac: I am weary of my life, because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the stock of this land, I choose not to live.