Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 51
26:34–27:22
G enesis
39
At the age of forty, Esau married two Hittite wives: Judith, the daughter
of Beeri, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon. But Esau’s wives made life
miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.
One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older
son, and said, “My son.”
“Yes, Father?” Esau replied.
“I am an old man now,” Isaac said, “and I don’t know when I may die.
Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it
here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you,
my firstborn son, before I die.”
But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to his son Esau. So when
Esau left to hunt for the wild game, she said to her son Jacob, “Listen. I
overheard your father say to Esau, ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare
me a delicious meal. Then I will bless you in the Lord’s presence before
I die.’ Now, my son, listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you. Go out to the
flocks, and bring me two fine young goats. I’ll use them to prepare your
father’s favorite dish. Then take the food to your father so he can eat it and
bless you before he dies.”
“But look,” Jacob replied to Rebekah, “my brother, Esau, is a hairy man,
and my skin is smooth. What if my father touches me? He’ll see that I’m
trying to trick him, and then he’ll curse me instead of blessing me.”
But his mother replied, “Then let the curse fall on me, my son! Just do
what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for me!”
So Jacob went out and got the young goats for his mother. Rebekah took
them and prepared a delicious meal, just the way Isaac liked it. Then she
took Esau’s favorite clothes, which were there in the house, and gave them
to her younger son, Jacob. She covered his arms and the smooth part of his
neck with the skin of the young goats. Then she gave Jacob the delicious
meal, including freshly baked bread.
So Jacob took the food to his father. “My father?” he said.
“Yes, my son,” Isaac answered. “Who are you—Esau or Jacob?”
Jacob replied, “It’s Esau, your firstborn son. I’ve done as you told me.
Here is the wild game. Now sit up and eat it so you can give me your
blessing.”
Isaac asked, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”
“The Lord your God put it in my path!” Jacob replied.
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you and make
sure that you really are Esau.” So Jacob went closer to his father, and Isaac
