NLT One Year Bible - Flipbook - Page 47
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to hunt some wild game for me. 4Prepare 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.”
5 But Rebekah overheard what Isaac
had said to his son Esau. So when Esau
left to hunt for the wild game, 6 she said
to her son Jacob, “Listen. I overheard
your father say to Esau, 7‘Bring me some
wild game and prepare me a delicious
meal. Then I will bless you in the Lord’s
presence before I die.’ 8Now, my son, listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you. 9 Go
out to the flocks, and bring me two fine
young goats. I’ll use them to prepare
your father’s favorite dish. 10Then take
the food to your father so he can eat it
and bless you before he dies.”
11 “But look,” Jacob replied to Rebekah, “my brother, Esau, is a hairy man,
and my skin is smooth. 12 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.”
13But 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!”
14 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. 15 Then
she took Esau’s favorite clothes, which
were there in the house, and gave them
to her younger son, Jacob. 16She covered his arms and the smooth part of
his neck with the skin of the young
goats. 17 Then she gave Jacob the delicious meal, including freshly baked
bread.
18So Jacob took the food to his father.
“My father?” he said.
“Yes, my son,” Isaac answered. “Who
are you—Esau or Jacob?”
19 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.”
20Isaac asked, “How did you find it so
quickly, my son?”
J A N U A R Y
1 2
“The Lord your God put it in my
path!” Jacob replied.
21Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come
closer so I can touch you and make sure
that you really are Esau.” 22 So Jacob
went closer to his father, and Isaac
touched him. “The voice is Jacob’s, but
the hands are Esau’s,” Isaac said. 23But
he did not recognize Jacob, because Jacob’s hands felt hairy just like Esau’s. So
Isaac prepared to bless Jacob. 24“But are
you really my son Esau?” he asked.
“Yes, I am,” Jacob replied.
25 Then Isaac said, “Now, my son,
bring me the wild game. Let me eat it,
and then I will give you my blessing.” So
Jacob took the food to his father, and
Isaac ate it. He also drank the wine that
Jacob served him. 26Then Isaac said to
Jacob, “Please come a little closer and
kiss me, my son.”
27So Jacob went over and kissed him.
And when Isaac caught the smell of his
clothes, he was finally convinced, and
he blessed his son. He said, “Ah! The
smell of my son is like the smell of the
outdoors, which the Lord has blessed!
“From the dew of heaven
and the richness of the earth,
may God always give you abundant
harvests of grain
and bountiful new wine.
29 May many nations become your
servants,
and may they bow down to you.
May you be the master over your
brothers,
and may your mother’s sons bow
down to you.
All who curse you will be cursed,
and all who bless you will be
blessed.”
28
30As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and almost before Jacob had
left his father, Esau returned from his
hunt. 31Esau prepared a delicious meal
and brought it to his father. Then he
said, “Sit up, my father, and eat my wild
game so you can give me your blessing.”
32 But Isaac asked him, “Who are
you?”
