July 6, 2013, Reading

Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29

1 When Isaac had grown old, and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he summoned his elder son Esau. ‘Son!’ he said, and Esau replied, ‘Here I am.’

2 He then said, ‘Look, I am old and do not know when I may die.

3 Now take your weapons, your quiver and bow; go out into the country and hunt me some game.

4 Make me the kind of appetising dish I like and bring it to me to eat and I shall give you my special blessing before I die.’

5 Rebekah was listening while Isaac was talking to his son Esau. So when Esau went into the country to hunt game for his father,

15 Rebekah took her elder son Esau’s best clothes, which she had at home, and dressed her younger son Jacob in them,

16 covering his arms and the smooth part of his neck with the skins of the kids.

17 She then handed the special dish and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

18 He went to his father and said, ‘Father!’ ‘Yes?’ he replied. ‘Which of my sons are you?’

19 Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your first-born; I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of the game I have brought and then give me your soul’s blessing.’

20 Isaac said to his son, ‘Son, how did you succeed so quickly?’ He replied, ‘Because Yahwehyour God made things go well for me.’

21 Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Come closer, son, so that I can feel you and be sure whether you really are my son Esau or not.’

22 Jacob went closer to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice but the arms are the arms of Esau!’

23 He did not recognise him since his arms were hairy like his brother Esau’s, and so he blessed him.

24 He said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ And he replied, ‘I am.’

25 Isaac said, ‘Serve it to me, so that I can eat my son’s game and give you my special blessing.’ He served it to him and he ate; he offered him wine, and he drank.

26 His father Isaac said to him, ‘Come closer, and kiss me, son.’

27 He went closer and kissed his father, who sniffed the smell of his clothes. Then he blessed him, saying: Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a fertile field which Yahwehhas blessed.

28 May God give you dew from heaven, and the richness of the earth, abundance of grain and wine!

29 Let peoples serve you and nations bow low before you! Be master of your brothers; let your mother’s other sons bow low before you! Accursed be whoever curses you and blessed be whoever blesses you!