271 Now when Isaac was old and his eyes had become clouded so that he was not able to see, he sent for Esau, his first son, and said to him, My son: and he said, Here am I. 2 And he said, See now, I am old, and my death may take place at any time: 3 So take your arrows and your bow and go out to the field and get meat for me; 4 And make me food, good to the taste, such as is pleasing to me, and put it before me, so that I may have a meal and give you my blessing before death comes to me. 5 Now Isaac's words to his son were said in Rebekah's hearing. Then Esau went out to get the meat.
6 And Rebekah said to Jacob, her son, Your father said to your brother Esau in my hearing, 7 Go and get some roe's meat and make me a good meal, so that I may be full, and give you my blessing before the Lord before my death. 8 Now, my son, do what I say. 9 Go to the flock and get me two fat young goats; and I will make of them a meal to your father's taste: 10 And you will take it to him, so that he may have a good meal and give you his blessing before his death. 11 And Jacob said to Rebekah, his mother, But Esau my brother is covered with hair, while I am smooth: 12 If by chance my father puts his hand on me, it will seem to him that I am tricking him, and he will put a curse on me in place of a blessing. 13 And his mother said, Let the curse be on me, my son: only do as I say, and go and get them for me. 14 So he went and got them and took them to his mother: and she made a meal to his father's taste. 15 And Rebekah took the fair robes of her oldest son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son: 16 And she put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck: 17 And she gave into the hand of Jacob, her son, the meat and the bread which she had made ready.
18 And he came to his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I: who are you, my son? 19 And Jacob said, I am Esau, your oldest son; I have done as you said: come now, be seated and take of my meat, so that you may give me a blessing. 20 And Isaac said, How is it that you have got it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord your God made it come my way. 21 And Isaac said, Come near so that I may put my hand on you, my son, and see if you are truly my son Esau or not. 22 And Jacob went near his father Isaac: and he put his hands on him; and he said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 And he did not make out who he was, because his hands were covered with hair like his brother Esau's hands: so he gave him a blessing. 24 And he said, Are you truly my son Esau? And he said, I am. 25 And he said, Put it before me and I will take of my son's meat, so that I may give you a blessing. And he put it before him and he took it; and he gave him wine, and he had a drink. 26 And his father Isaac said to him, Come near now, my son, and give me a kiss. 27 And he came near and gave him a kiss; and smelling the smell of his clothing, he gave him a blessing, and said, See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field on which the blessing of the Lord has come:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 27:1-27
Commentary on Genesis 27:1-5
(Read Genesis 27:1-5)
The promises of the Messiah, and of the land of Canaan, had come down to Isaac. Isaac being now about 135 years of age, and his sons about 75, and not duly considering the Divine word concerning his two sons, that the elder should serve the younger, resolved to put all the honour and power that were in the promise, upon Esau his eldest son. We are very apt to take measures rather from our own reason than from Divine revelation, and thereby often miss our way.
Commentary on Genesis 27:6-17
(Read Genesis 27:6-17)
Rebekah knew that the blessing was intended for Jacob, and expected he would have it. But she wronged Isaac by putting a cheat on him; she wronged Jacob by tempting him to wickedness. She put a stumbling-block in Esau's way, and gave him a pretext for hatred to Jacob and to religion. All were to be blamed. It was one of those crooked measures often adopted to further the Divine promises; as if the end would justify, or excuse wrong means. Thus many have acted wrong, under the idea of being useful in promoting the cause of Christ. The answer to all such things is that which God addressed to Abraham, I am God Almighty; walk before me and be thou perfect. And it was a very rash speech of Rebekah, "Upon me be thy curse, my son." Christ has borne the curse of the law for all who take upon them the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel. But it is too daring for any creature to say, Upon me be thy curse.
Commentary on Genesis 27:18-29
(Read Genesis 27:18-29)
Jacob, with some difficulty, gained his point, and got the blessing. This blessing is in very general terms. No mention is made of the distinguishing mercies in the covenant with Abraham. This might be owing to Isaac having Esau in his mind, though it was Jacob who was before him. He could not be ignorant how Esau had despised the best things. Moreover, his attachment to Esau, so as to disregard the mind of God, must have greatly weakened his own faith in these things. It might therefore be expected, that leanness would attend his blessing, agreeing with the state of his mind.