Genesis 27:1-17
The Blessing Prepared in Secret
Read the passage
1When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
2“Look,” said Isaac, “I am now old, and I do not know the day of my death.
3Take your weapons—your quiver and bow—and go out into the field to hunt some game for me.
4Then prepare a tasty dish that I love and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.”
5Now Rebekah was listening to what Isaac told his son Esau. So when Esau went into the field to hunt game and bring it back,
6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I overheard your father saying to your brother Esau,
7‘Bring me some game and prepare me a tasty dish to eat, so that I may bless you in the presence of the LORD before I die.’
8Now, my son, listen to my voice and do exactly as I tell you.
9Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so that I can make them into a tasty dish for your father—the kind he loves.
10Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.”
11Jacob answered his mother Rebekah, “Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, but I am smooth-skinned.
12What if my father touches me? Then I would be revealed to him as a deceiver, and I would bring upon myself a curse rather than a blessing.”
13His mother replied, “Your curse be on me, my son. Just obey my voice and go get them for me.”
14So Jacob went and got two goats and brought them to his mother, who made the tasty food his father loved.
15And Rebekah took the finest clothes in the house that belonged to her older son Esau, and she put them on her younger son Jacob.
16She also put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.
17Then she handed her son Jacob the tasty food and bread she had made.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Isaac is old and his eyes are too dim to see. He calls Esau, his older son, and asks him to hunt game, prepare a savory dish, and bring it to him so that Isaac can bless Esau before he dies. Rebekah is listening. She wants Jacob to receive the blessing, so she tells Jacob to bring two young goats. She will prepare the dish Isaac likes, and Jacob will take it to his father.
Jacob points out the danger. Esau is hairy, while he is smooth. If Isaac touches him, Jacob fears that he will appear to be mocking his father and bring a curse on himself. Rebekah says she will take the curse and tells Jacob to obey. She prepares the food, dresses Jacob in Esau's best clothes, and covers his hands and the smooth part of his neck with goat skins.
The parents' favoritism divides their plans for the blessing. Isaac sends Esau to hunt, while Rebekah prepares Jacob to take his brother's place. The promise God spoke before the twins' birth is not being trusted openly. Instead, the family is trying to secure it through deception.
The passage prepares us to see how a blessing obtained through deceit will damage the whole household. A good promise does not make a dishonest method good.
Questions
1 What did Isaac ask Esau to prepare?
AnswerIsaac asks Esau to hunt game and prepare a savory dish so he can bless him before he dies. The family approaches a covenant blessing through a private plan.
2 What did Rebekah prepare for Jacob?
AnswerRebekah prepares food, dresses Jacob in Esau's clothes, and covers his hands and neck with goat skins. She uses a detailed disguise to overcome Isaac's blindness.
3 Why was Jacob afraid of Isaac’s touch?
AnswerJacob fears that Isaac will discover the deception and curse him. His concern shows that he knows the plan is wrong even while he carries it out.
4 What did Rebekah say when Jacob feared a curse?
AnswerRebekah says the curse can fall on her and tells Jacob to obey her voice. She presses ahead with the disguise rather than abandoning the deception.
What This Means for Us
Favoritism and secrecy make a family easy to manipulate. If a promise requires deception, stop and question the plan. Do not train children to lie for adult agendas, and do not make one child compete for love by turning another child into an enemy. God's faithfulness does not need our dishonesty to survive.
Prayer
God of truth, expose the secrets and favoritism that damage our families. Keep us from using children or loved ones to secure what we want. Give us courage to trust your promises openly, and teach us to bless one another without making love a contest or a disguise. Amen.