Genesis 27

Genesis 27:1-4

We have here, 1. Isaac’s purpose to entail the blefing upon Esau, ver. 1—4. 2. Rebekah’s plea to procure it for Jacob, ver. 6—17. 3. Jacob’s forceful management of the plea, and his obtaining of the blefing, ver. 18—29. 4. Esau’s requirement of this: In which, 1. His great impersonity with his father to obtain a blefing, ver. 30—40. 2. His great enmity to his brother for defrauding him of the first blefing, ver. 41—40.

1. AND it came to pafs that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son:

Baton Chord Heb. Naut.

son: And he said unto him, Behold, here am I. 2. And he said, Behold, now I am old, I know not the day of my death. 3. Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take + some venison; 4. And make me favour meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may blefs thee before I die.

Infirmities of age were come upon Isaac, and therefore, as his time was likely to be short, he rejoices,

1. To bellow on Esau, as first-born, the blessing of the promised land and seed; perhaps, not understanding the prophecy, or not attending to it through natural affection and the rights of primogeniture. Nate, Man proposes, but God disposes.

2. He communicates his resolution to Esau, who was still, it seems, his favourier, though he had displeased him by marriage, and bids him shew one instance of his affection in procuring him some venison, that he might eat and blefs him before he died. Nate, (1.) Though children marry imprudently, parents must not be inflexible in their resentments. (2.) When we grow old, it is time to think of dying. (3.) All worldly concerns should be dispatched before that time; it is enough then to do to die.

3. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son: And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6. ¶ And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 7. Bring me venison, and make me favourry meat, that I may eat, and blefs thee before the LORD, before my death. 8. Now therefore my son, obey my voice, according to that which I command thee. 9. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them favourry meat for thy father, such as he loveth. 10. And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may blefs thee before his death. 11. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12. My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. 13. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go and fetch me them. 14. And he went and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made favourry meat, such as his father loved. 15. And Rebekah took + goodly raiment of her eldest son Isaac, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son. 16. And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck. 17. And she gave the favourry meat, and the bread which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

Heb. Debrable.

Genesis 27:5-17

Rebekah overhearing the conversation between Isaac and Esau, rejoices immediately to put Jacob in his place, a thing, in many respects, utterly unjustifiable. Had she pleaded with Isaac the Divine command, simplicity had probably prevailed, and Jacob, without a cheat, had got the blessing; but now she contrives the plot, and will have Jacob execute it. His objections she answers, makes herself liable to the curse, and as women’s wits are sharp, fixes on a method which can hardly fail of success. To Isaac’s aged taste, the favourry kid can easily pass for venison, and Esau’s cheaths can transform the smooth Jacob, with the kids skins, into the hairy Esau. Nate, Those who would ever appear before God with acceptance, must come in the garments of the all-perfect right-muchness of Jesus their elder brother; and though they are known to be miserable sinners, they shall find the blessing, because complete in him.

Heb. Before me.

18. ¶ And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? 19. And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first-born; I have done according as thou baked me: arise I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may blefs me. 20. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me. 21. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou let my very son Esau, or not. 22. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father, and he felt him; and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23. And he discerned him not, because his hands were

hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him. 24. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? and he said, I am. 25. And he said, bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may blefs thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. 27. And he came near and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field, which the LORD hath blessed. 28. Therefore a God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. 29. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; he shed over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: curled he every one that curseth thee; and blessed he he that blesseth thee.

Genesis 27:18-29

We have here,

1. The deception put upon Isaac. Jacob appears, with assurance answers his father’s enquiries, produces his venison, brings in God for his helper, removes the just suspicions of his voice by producing his hands, and thus, after repeated adversations, confirms his father in the identity of his person as Esau. Herein committing a very great sin, or rather a complication of sins, which however God over-tailed for good, is noted to his shame. Learn here, (1.) How soon lying is learnt. (2.) When we are entangled in one life, we are bound to forge many more, to support ourselves in it. (3.) The simple-hearted men in general have need to fear being overtaken by this sin. (4.) The voice that imposes upon Isaac, cannot impose upon God. The lying lips, and the prayer of the hypocrite, will soon be put to confession.

2. The blessing obtained by it. He kissed him in token of his regard, he blessed him as the favourites of the Lord, and solemnly puts him in perfusion of the government of his brethren and the neck of his enemies, and therein conveys to him the generation of the promised seed, and headship over the church. Nate, They who take wrong means, may obtain their ends, through God’s over-ruling providence, but they will suffer, as Jacob said, for the indirect steps they have used.

3. ¶ And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31. And he also had made favourry meat, and brought it unto his father; and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may blefs me. 32. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy first-born Esau. 33. And Isaac + trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who, where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camself, and have blessed him + yea, and he shall be blessed. 34. And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 35. And he said, Thy brother came with subsidy, and hath taken away thy blessing. 36. And he said, “It not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me their two times: he took away my birth-right: and behold now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Halt thou not reserved a blessing for me? 37. And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, “Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants: and with corn and wine have I sustained him; and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? 38. And Esau said unto his father, Halt thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lift up his voice, and wept. 39. And Isaac his father answered, and said unto him, Behold, “thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. 40. And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother: and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

Genesis 27:30-40

Esau, big with the expectance of the blessing, hastes to his father with the favourry meat: but how amused, how shocked, to find his hopes disappointed, and the benediction already bestowed! Observe,

1. His bitter sorrow. Nate, It is too late to grieve for the consequences of sin, when we have neglected to grieve for the cause of them. He sought importunately now the privilege he had slighted.

Baton Chord Heb. ai. 10.