1 As Isaac grew old, his eyes became so weak that he could no longer see. One day he called Esau, his eldest son, and said to him: “My son! ” He replied, “I’m here.”
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2 Isaac said to him, “I am old and I do not know the day of my death.
3 Now take your weapons, your bow and quiver, and go to the field and hunt something for me.
4 Prepare me that delicious food that I love so much and bring it to me, so that I can eat it and bless you before I die.”
5 Now Rebekah was listening to what Isaac was saying to his son Esau. When Esau went out into the field to hunt,
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6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob: “I heard your father say to your brother Esau:
7 'Bring me some game and prepare me that delicious food, so that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before I die.'
8 Now, my son, listen well and do as I command you:
9 Go to the flock and bring me two chosen goats, so that I can prepare delicious food for your father, as he enjoys.
10 Then take it to your father, so that he may eat it and bless him before he dies.”
11 Jacob said to Rebekah, his mother, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I have smooth skin.
12 What if my dad groped me? It will seem like I am trying to deceive you, making you look like a fool, and instead of a blessing, I will bring a curse upon myself.”
13 His mother said to him: “The curse be upon me, my son. Just do as I say: Go and bring them to me.”
14 So he went and picked them up and brought them to his mother, who prepared delicious food, just as his father enjoyed.
15 Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau, her eldest son, clothes that she had at home, and put them on Jacob, her youngest son.
16 Then he covered his hands and the flat part of his neck with the goats' skins,
17 and finally he gave Jacob the delicious meal and the bread he had made.
18 He turned to his father and said, “My father.” He replied: “Yes, my son. Who are you? “
19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your eldest son. I did as you told me. Now sit down and eat what I have hunted so that he may bless me.”
20 Isaac asked his son: “How did you find the game so quickly, my son? ” He replied, “The Lord your God has placed you in my path.”
21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer, my son, so that I can feel you and know whether you are really my son Esau.”
22 Jacob approached his father Isaac, who felt him and said: “The voice belongs to Jacob, but the arms belong to Esau”.
23 He did not recognize him, because his arms were hairy like those of Esau, his brother; and blessed him.
24 Isaac asked him again: “Are you really my son Esau? ” And he replied, “I am.”
25 Then he said to him: “My son, bring me some of your game so that I can eat and bless you.” Jacob brought it, and his father ate it; He also brought wine, and he drank it.
26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, give me a kiss.”
27 He approached and kissed him. When he smelled his clothes, Isaac blessed him, saying, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.
28 May God grant him dew from heaven and wealth from earth, with much grain and much wine.
29 May the nations serve you and the peoples bow down to you. Be lord of your brothers, and let your mother's children bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse him and blessed be those who bless him.”
30 When Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, he had barely left his father's presence when his brother Esau arrived from hunting.
31 He also prepared some delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to him, “My father, get up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”
32 His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you? ” He replied, “I am Esau, your eldest son.”
33 Deeply shaken, Isaac began to tremble greatly and said: “Who then caught the game and brought it to me? I just ate it before you came in and I blessed him; and blessed he will be! “
34 When Esau heard his father's words, he gave a loud cry and, full of bitterness, begged his father: “Bless me too, my father! “
35 But he replied, “Your brother came cunningly and received the blessing that belonged to you.”
36 And Esau said, “Isn’t his name rightly called Jacob? This is the second time he has deceived me! First, he took my right as the eldest son and now he has received my blessing! ” Then he asked his father: “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me? “
37 Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you, and I have made all your relatives his servants; I supplied him with grain and wine. What could I do for you, my son? “
38 Esau asked his father: “My father, do you have just one blessing? Bless me too, my father! ” Then cried Esau with a loud voice.
39 His father Isaac answered him: “Your dwelling will be far from the fertile lands, far from the dew that comes down from the high heavens.
40 You will live by your sword and serve your brother. But when you can bear it no longer, you will tear the yoke from your neck.”
41 Esau harbored a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And he said to himself: “The days of mourning for my father's death are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
42 When they told Rebekah what her son Esau had said, she sent for Jacob, her youngest son, and said to him: “Esau is comforting himself with the thought of killing you.
43 Hear therefore what I say to you, my son: Flee immediately to the house of my brother Laban in Haran.
44 Stay with him for a while, until your brother's anger passes.
45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and has forgotten what you did to him, I will send for him. Why would I lose you both in one day? “
46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am disgusted with life because of these Hittite women. If Jacob chooses a wife among the women of this land, among Hittite women like these, I will lose the reason for living.”
