1 N ow it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.” And he answered him, “Here I am.”

Isaac was now old, and had become blind. He called to his older son Esau, saying, “My son.” And Esau answered, “Here I am.”

2 T hen he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.

Isaac said, “See, I am old. I do not know when I will die.

3 N ow therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.

Take your bow and arrows, and go out to the field to get meat for me.

4 A nd make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

Get some food ready for me that I love. Bring it to me to eat, so that before I die I will pray that good will come to you.”

5 N ow Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it.

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

6 S o Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He said,

7 ‘ Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’

’Bring me some meat. Make good-tasting food for me to eat. And before I die I will pray to the Lord for good to come to you.’

8 N ow therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you.

So now, my son, listen to what I tell you to do.

9 G o now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves.

Go to the flock and bring me two fat young goats. I will cook them into good-tasting food, just what your father loves to eat.

10 T hen you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.”

Then you will take it to your father for him to eat. So before he dies he will pray for good to come to you.”

11 A nd Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth- skinned man.

Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “But my brother Esau has much hair. And my skin is smooth.

12 P erhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”

If my father touches me, he will think of me as one trying to fool him. Then he will bring a curse upon me instead of good.”

13 B ut his mother said to him, “ Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.”

His mother said to him, “The curse will come upon me instead of you, my son. You do what I say, and go get them for me.”

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

So Jacob went and got them, and brought them to his mother. And his mother made good-tasting food, just what his father loved to eat.

15 T hen Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.

Then Rebekah took the best clothes that belonged to her older son Esau, that were with her in the house. And she put them on her younger son Jacob.

16 A nd she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.

She put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.

17 T hen she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

And she gave her son Jacob the bread and the good-tasting food she had made.

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

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

19 J acob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.”

Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your first-born. I have done as you told me. Sit up and eat the meat I brought, so you will pray that good will come to me.”

20 B ut Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord your God brought it to me.”

But Isaac said to his son, “How have you found it so fast, my son?” And Jacob said, “Because the Lord your God made it happen.”

21 I saac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know for sure if you are my son Esau or not.”

22 S o Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

So Jacob came near his father Isaac. Isaac touched him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice. But the hands are Esau’s hands.”

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

He did not know who he was, because his hands were covered with hair like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac prayed that good would come to him.

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

Isaac said, “Is it true that you are my son Esau?” Jacob answered, “I am.”

25 H e said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

So Isaac said, “Bring it to me so I may eat the meat my son has made ready. And I will pray that good will come to you.” He brought it to him, and he ate. He brought him wine also, and he drank.

26 T hen his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.”

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

27 A nd he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the Lord has blessed.

So Jacob came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothes, he prayed that good would come to him. He said, “The smell of my son is like the smell of a field that has received good from the Lord.

28 T herefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.

May God give you from heaven water on the grass in the early morning, and the riches of the earth, and more than enough grain and new wine.

29 L et peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!” Esau’s Lost Hope

May nations serve you, and the people bow down in front of you. Be the ruler of your brothers. May your mother’s sons bow down in front of you. Cursed be those who curse you, and may good come to those who honor you.”

30 N ow it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

When Isaac had finished praying that good would come to Jacob, Jacob left his father Isaac. Just then his brother Esau came in from hunting.

31 H e also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.”

Then Esau made good-tasting food and brought it to his father, and said, “Sit up, my father, and eat the meat your son has made ready, so you will pray that good will come to me.”

32 A nd his father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” So he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your first-born, Esau.”

33 T hen Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him— and indeed he shall be blessed.”

Then Isaac shook all over, and he said, “Who was it then who killed an animal and brought meat to me? I ate all of it before you came! And I prayed that good would come to him! Yes, and good will come to him!”

34 W hen Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me—me also, O my father!”

When he heard what his father said, Esau cried out with a loud and sad cry. He said to his father, “Pray that good will come to me also, O my father!”

35 B ut he said, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.”

But Isaac said, “Your brother came in and fooled me. He has taken away the good that was to come to you.”

36 A nd Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”

Then Esau said, “Was it not right that he was given the name Jacob? Two times now he has taken what should have been mine. He took away my right as a first-born. And now he has taken away the good that was to come to me.” Then he said, “Can you not pray that good will come to me also?”

37 T hen Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?”

Isaac answered Esau, “See, I have made him to rule over you. I have given him all his brothers as servants. I have given him grain and new wine to keep him alive and well. What then can I do for you, my son?”

38 A nd Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one prayer for good to come, my father? Pray that good will come to me also, O my father.” And Esau gave out a loud cry.

39 T hen Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above.

Then his father Isaac answered him: “See, the place where you live will be away from the riches of the earth, and away from the water on the grass in the early morning.

40 B y your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.” Jacob Escapes from Esau

You will live by your sword and you will serve your brother. But when you break loose, you will throw his load off your back.” Jacob Goes to Laban

41 S o Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Esau hated Jacob because his father had prayed that good would come to Jacob. Esau said to himself, “The days when I will have sorrow for the loss of my father are soon. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42 A nd the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.

But the words of her older son Esau were told to Rebekah. She called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, “See, your brother Esau comforts himself by planning to kill you.

43 N ow therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran.

So now, my son, do what I tell you. Get ready, and go at once to my brother Laban at Haran.

44 A nd stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away,

Stay with him for a few days, until your brother’s anger goes away.

45 u ntil your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?”

When your brother’s anger against you is gone and he forgets what you did to him, then I will send for you and have you return from there. Why should I have sorrow for both of you in one day?”

46 A nd Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob marries one of the daughters of Heth, like these, from the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”