Genesis 27:32-46 ▼

32 But his father Isaac asked him, |Who are you?| |I'm Esau, your firstborn son,| he answered

33 At this, Isaac began to tremble violently. |Who then,| he asked, |hunted some game and brought it to me to eat before you arrived, so that I've blessed him? Indeed, he is blessed.|

34 When Esau realized what his father Isaac was saying, he began to wail out loud bitterly. |Bless me,| he cried, |even me, too, my father!|

35 Isaac replied, |Your brother came here deceitfully and stole your blessing.|

36 Then he said, |Isn't his name rightly called Jacob?| Esau asked. |He has circumvented me this second time. First, he took away my birthright, and now, look how he also stole my blessing.| Then he added, |Haven't you reserved a blessing for me?|

37 In response, Isaac told Esau, |Look! I've predicted that he's going to become your master, and I've assigned all his brothers to be his servants. What then can I do for you, my son?|

38 Then Esau implored his father, |Don't you have even one blessing for me, my father? Bless me, even me too, my father!| Then Esau lifted his voice and wept bitterly.

39 At this, his father Isaac replied to him, |Look! Away from the fertile land will be your dwellings; away from the dew of the skies above.

40 By your sword you'll live; but you'll serve your brother. But when you've become restless, you'll break off his yoke from your neck.|

41 So Esau harbored animosity toward Jacob because of the way his father had blessed him. Esau kept saying to himself, |The time to mourn for my father is very near. That's when I'm going to kill my brother Jacob.|

42 Eventually, what Rebekah's older son Esau had been saying was reported to her, so she sent for her younger son Jacob and warned him, |Look! Your brother is planning to get even by killing you.

43 Son, you'd better do what I say! Get up, run off to my brother Laban in Haran,

44 and stay there with him a few days until your brother's fury subsides.

45 After that happens and he has forgotten what you've done to him, I'll send for you so you can return from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?|

46 Rebekah also told herself, |Heth's daughters are making me tired of living. If Jacob marries one of Heth's daughters, and she turns out to be just like these other local women, what kind of life would there be left for me?|