Genesis 27

1Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see: and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him: My son? And he answered: Here I am.

2And his father said to him: Thou seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death.

3Take thy arms, thy quiver, and bow, and go abroad: and when thou hast taken some thing by hunting,

4Make me savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and bring it, that I may eat: and my soul may bless thee before I die.

5And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the field to fulfill his father’s commandment,

6She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother, and saying to him:

7Bring me of thy hunting, and make me meats that I may eat, and bless thee in the sight of the Lord, before I die.

8Now, therefore, my son, follow my counsel:

9And go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best, that I may make of them meat for thy father, such as he gladly eateth:

10Which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die.

11And he answered her: Thou knowest that Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am smooth.

12If my father shall feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing.

13And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son: only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said.

14He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked.

15And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she had at home with her:

16And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck.

17And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread that she had baked.

18Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he answered: I hear. Who art thou, my son?

19And Jacob said: I am Esau thy firstborn: I have done as thou didst command me: arise, sit, and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

20And Isaac said to his son: How couldst thou find it so quickly, my son? He answered: It was the will of God, that what I sought came quickly in my way.

21And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or not.

22He came near to his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob; but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23And he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like to the elder. Then blessing him,

24He said: Art thou my son Esau? He answered: I am.

25Then he said: Bring me the meats of thy hunting, my son, that my soul may bless thee. And when they were brought, and he had eaten, he offered him wine also, which after he had drunk,

26He said to him: Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son.

27He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him, he said: Behold the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord hath blessed.

28God give thee the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine.

29And let peoples serve thee, and tribes worship thee: be thou lord of thy brethren, and let thy mother’s children bow down before thee. Cursed be he that curseth thee: and let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings.

30Isaac had scarce ended his words, when Jacob being now gone out abroad, Esau came,

31And brought in to his father meats made of what he had taken in hunting, saying: Arise, my father, and eat of thy son’s venison; that thy soul may bless me.

32And Isaac said to him: Why! who art thou? He answered: I am thy firstborn son Esau.

33Isaac was struck with fear, and astonished exceedingly: and wondering beyond what can be believed, said Who is he then that even now brought me venison that he had taken, and I ate of all before thou camest? and I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed.

34Esau having heard his father’s words, roared out with a great cry: and being in a great consternation, said: Bless me also, my father.

35And he said: Thy brother came deceitfully and got thy blessing.

36But he said again: Rightly is his name called Jacob; for he hath supplanted me lo this second time: my first birthright he took away before, and now this second time he hath stolen away my blessing. And again he said to his father: Hast thou not reserved me also a blessing?

37Isaac answered: I have appointed him thy lord, and have made all his brethren his servants: I have established him with corn and wine, and after this, what shall I do more for thee, my son?

38And Esau said to him: Hast thou only one blessing, father? I beseech thee bless me also. And when he wept with a loud cry,

39Isaac being moved, said to him: In the fat of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above,

40Shall thy blessing be. Thou shalt live by the sword and shalt serve thy brother: and the time shall come, when thou shalt shake off and loose his yoke from thy neck.

41Esau therefore always hated Jacob for the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him: and he said in his heart: The days will come of the mourning of my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob.

42These things were told to Rebecca: and she sent and called Jacob her son, and said to him: Behold Esau thy brother threateneth to kill thee.

43Now therefore, my son, hear my voice: arise and flee to Laban my brother to Haran:

44And thou shalt dwell with him a few days, till the wrath of thy brother be assuaged,

45And his indignation cease, and he forget the things thou hast done to him: afterwards I will send, and bring thee from thence hither. Why shall I be deprived of both my sons in one day?

46And Rebecca said to Isaac: I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the stock of this land, I choose not to live.

1Senuit autem Isaac, et caligaverunt oculi ejus, et videre non poterat: vocavitque Esau filium suum majorem, et dixit ei: Fili mi? Qui respondit: Adsum.

2Cui pater: Vides, inquit, quod senuerim, et ignorem diem mortis meæ.

3Sume arma tua, pharetram, et arcum, et egredere foras: cumque venatu aliquid apprehenderis,

4fac mihi inde pulmentum sicut velle me nosti, et affer ut comedam: et benedicat tibi anima mea antequam moriar.

5Quod cum audisset Rebecca, et ille abiisset in agrum ut jussionem patris impleret,

6dixit filio suo Jacob: Audivi patrem tuum loquentem cum Esau fratre tuo, et dicentem ei:

7Affer mihi de venatione tua, et fac cibos ut comedam, et benedicam tibi coram Domino antequam moriar.

8Nunc ergo, fili mi, acquiesce consiliis meis:

9et pergens ad gregem, affer mihi duos hædos optimos, ut faciam ex eis escas patri tuo, quibus libenter vescitur:

10quas cum intuleris, et comederit, benedicat tibi priusquam moriatur.

11Cui ille respondit: Nosti quod Esau frater meus homo pilosus sit, et ego lenis:

12si attrectaverit me pater meus, et senserit, timeo ne putet me sibi voluisse illudere, et inducam super me maledictionem pro benedictione.

13Ad quem mater: In me sit, ait, ista maledictio, fili mi: tantum audi vocem meam, et pergens, affer quæ dixi.

14Abiit, et attulit, deditque matri. Paravit illa cibos, sicut velle noverat patrem illius.

15Et vestibus Esau valde bonis, quas apud se habebat domi, induit eum:

16pelliculasque hædorum circumdedit manibus, et colli nuda protexit:

17deditque pulmentum, et panes, quos coxerat, tradidit.

18Quibus illatis, dixit: Pater mi? At ille respondit: Audio. Quis es tu, fili mi?

19Dixitque Jacob: Ego sum primogenitus tuus Esau: feci sicut præcepisti mihi: surge, sede, et comede de venatione mea, ut benedicat mihi anima tua.

20Rursumque Isaac ad filium suum: Quomodo, inquit, tam cito invenire potuisti, fili mi? Qui respondit: Voluntas Dei fuit ut cito occurreret mihi quod volebam.

21Dixitque Isaac: Accede huc, ut tangam te, fili mi, et probem utrum tu sis filius meus Esau, an non.

22Accessit ille ad patrem, et palpato eo, dixit Isaac: Vox quidem, vox Jacob est: sed manus, manus sunt Esau.

23Et non cognovit eum, quia pilosæ manus similitudinem majoris expresserant. Benedicens ergo illi,

24ait: Tu es filius meus Esau? Respondit: Ego sum.

25At ille: Affer mihi, inquit, cibos de venatione tua, fili mi, ut benedicat tibi anima mea. Quos cum oblatos comedisset, obtulit ei etiam vinum. Quo hausto,

26dixit ad eum: Accede ad me, et da mihi osculum, fili mi.

27Accessit, et osculatus est eum. Statimque ut sensit vestimentorum illius fragrantiam, benedicens illi, ait: [Ecce odor filii mei sicut odor agri pleni, cui benedixit Dominus.

28Det tibi Deus de rore cæli et de pinguedine terræ abundantiam frumenti et vini.

29Et serviant tibi populi, et adorent te tribus: esto dominus fratrum tuorum, et incurventur ante te filii matris tuæ: qui maledixerit tibi, sit ille maledictus, et qui benedixerit tibi, benedictionibus repleatur.]

30Vix Isaac sermonem impleverat, et egresso Jacob foras, venit Esau,

31coctosque de venatione cibos intulit patri, dicens: Surge, pater mi, et comede de venatione filii tui, ut benedicat mihi anima tua.

32Dixitque illi Isaac: Quis enim es tu? Qui respondit: Ego sum filius tuus primogenitus Esau.

33Expavit Isaac stupore vehementi: et ultra quam credi potest admirans, ait: Quis igitur ille est qui dudum captam venationem attulit mihi, et comedi ex omnibus priusquam tu venires; benedixique ei, et erit benedictus?

34Auditis Esau sermonibus patris, irrugiit clamore magno: et consternatus, ait: Benedic etiam et mihi, pater mi.

35Qui ait: Venit germanus tuus fraudulenter, et accepit benedictionem tuam.

36At ille subjunxit: Juste vocatum est nomen ejus Jacob: supplantavit enim me en altera vice: primogenita mea ante tulit, et nunc secundo surripuit benedictionem meam. Rursumque ad patrem: Numquid non reservasti, ait, et mihi benedictionem?

37Respondit Isaac: Dominum tuum illum constitui, et omnes fratres ejus servituti illius subjugavi; frumento et vino stabilivi eum: et tibi post hæc, fili mi, ultra quid faciam?

38Cui Esau: Num unam, inquit, tantum benedictionem habes, pater? mihi quoque obsecro ut benedicas. Cumque ejulatu magno fleret,

39motus Isaac, dixit ad eum: [In pinguedine terræ, et in rore cæli desuper,

40erit benedictio tua. Vives in gladio, et fratri tuo servies: tempusque veniet, cum excutias et solvas jugum ejus de cervicibus tuis.]

41Oderat ergo semper Esau Jacob pro benedictione qua benedixerat ei pater: dixitque in corde suo: Venient dies luctus patris mei, et occidam Jacob fratrem meum.

42Nuntiata sunt hæc Rebeccæ: quæ mittens et vocans Jacob filium suum, dixit ad eum: Ecce Esau frater tuus minatur ut occidat te.

43Nunc ergo, fili mi, audi vocem meam, et consurgens fuge ad Laban fratrem meum in Haran:

44habitabisque cum eo dies paucos, donec requiescat furor fratris tui,

45et cesset indignatio ejus, obliviscaturque eorum quæ fecisti in eum: postea mittam, et adducam te inde huc: cur utroque orbabor filio in uno die?

46Dixitque Rebecca ad Isaac: Tædet me vitæ meæ propter filias Heth: si acceperit Jacob uxorem de stirpe hujus terræ, nolo vivere.

1Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were cloudy, and so he was not able to see. And he called his elder son Esau, and he said to him, “My son?” And he responded, “Here I am.”

2His father said to him: “You see that I am old, and I do not know the day of my death.

3Take your weapons, the quiver and the bow, and go out. And when you have taken something by hunting,

4make from it a small meal for me, just as you know I like, and bring it, so that I may eat and my soul may bless you before I die.”

5And when Rebekah had heard this, and he had gone out into the field to fulfill his father’s order,

6she said to her son Jacob: “I heard your father speaking with your brother Esau, and saying to him,

7‘Bring to me from your hunting, and make me foods, so that I may eat and bless you in the sight of the Lord before I die.’

8Therefore, now my son, agree to my counsel,

9and go straight to the flock, and bring me two of the best young goats, so that from them I may make meat for your father, such as he willingly eats.

10Then, when you have brought these in and he has eaten, he may bless you before he dies.”

11He answered her: “You know that my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am smooth.

12If my father should lay hands on me and perceive it, I am afraid lest he think me willing to mock him, and I will bring a curse upon myself, instead of a blessing.”

13And his mother said to him: “Let this curse be upon me, my son. Yet listen to my voice, and go directly to bring what I said.”

14He went out, and he brought, and he gave to his mother. She prepared the meats, just as she knew his father liked.

15And she clothed him with the very fine garments of Esau, which she had at home with her.

16And she encircled his hands with little pelts from the young goats, and she covered his bare neck.

17And she gave him the small meal, and she handed him the bread that she had baked.

18When he had carried these in, he said, “My father?” And he answered, “I’m listening. Who are you, my son?”

19And Jacob said: “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you instructed me. Arise; sit and eat from my hunting, so that your soul may bless me.”

20And again Isaac said to his son, “How were you able to find it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “It was the will of God, so that what I sought met with me quickly.”

21And Isaac said, “Come here, so that I may touch you, my son, and may prove whether you are my son Esau, or not.”

22He approached his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: “The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob. But the hands are the hands of Esau.”

23And he did not recognize him, because his hairy hands made him seem similar to the elder one. Therefore, blessing him,

24he said, “Are you my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.”

25Then he said, “Bring me the foods from your hunting, my son, so that my soul may bless you.” And when he had eaten what was offered, he also brought forth wine for him. And after he finished it,

26he said to him, “Come to me and give me a kiss, my son.”

27He approached and kissed him. And immediately he perceived the fragrance of his garments. And so, blessing him, he said: “Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord has blessed.

28May God give to you, from the dew of heaven and from the fatness of the earth, an abundance of grain and wine.

29And may the peoples serve you, and may the tribes reverence you. May you be the lord of your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down before you. Whoever curses you, may he be cursed, and whoever blesses you, may he be filled with blessings.”

30Scarcely had Isaac completed his words, and Jacob departed, when Esau arrived.

31And he brought his father foods cooked from his hunting, saying, “Arise, my father, and eat from your son’s hunting, so that your soul may bless me.”

32And Isaac said to him, “But who are you?” And he answered, “I am your firstborn son, Esau.”

33Isaac became frightened and very astonished. And wondering beyond what can be believed, he said: “Then who is he that a while ago brought me the prey from his hunting, from which I ate, before you arrived? And I blessed him, and he will be blessed.”

34Esau, having heard his father’s words, roared out with a great outcry. And, being confounded, he said, “But bless me also, my father.”

35And he said, “Your twin came deceitfully, and he received your blessing.”

36But he responded: “Justly is his name called Jacob. For he has supplanted me yet another time. My birthright he took away before, and now, this second time, he has stolen my blessing.” And again, he said to his father, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me also?”

37Isaac answered: “I have appointed him as your lord, and I have subjugated all his brothers as his servants. I have reinforced him with grain and wine, and after this, my son, what more shall I do for you?”

38And Esau said to him: “Have you only one blessing, father? I beg you, bless me also.” And when he wept with a loud wail,

39Isaac was moved, and he said to him: “In the fatness of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above,

40will your blessing be. You will live by the sword, and you will serve your brother. But the time will arrive when you will shake off and release his yoke from your neck.”

41Therefore, Esau always hated Jacob, for the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And he said in his heart, “The days will arrive for the mourning of my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42These things were reported to Rebekah. And sending and calling for her son Jacob, she said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau is threatening to kill you.

43Therefore, now my son, listen to my voice. Rise up and flee to my brother Laban, in Haran.

44And you will dwell with him for a few days, until the fury of your brother subsides,

45and his indignation ceases, and he forgets the things that you have done to him. After this, I will send for you and bring you from there to here. Why should I be bereaved of both my sons in one day?”

46And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob accepts a wife from the stock of this land, I would not be willing to live.”