[And He Walks With Me] Genesis 27

1-4        This whole scenario is curious. The blessing of the eldest child was typically cause for great celebration as it marked the official transfer of authority from father to son. The blessed son would then be responsible for officiating sacrificial meals and death rituals, acting as guardian-redeemer, and administering the inheritance. This included the right to determine when and how the inheritance would be divided. Isaac recognized this occasion as a moment for celebration when he asked for a delicious meal to be prepared. In the case of Jacob and Esau, however, there was a wrinkle. In Gen 25:27-34, Esau sold his birthright to his brother for a bowl of soup. Consequently, Jacob was supposed to receive a double portion of the inheritance. Isaac apparently did not approve of this arrangement because he called Esau privately and arranged to bless him secretly rather than before the whole family. This would have given Esau the authority to delay the division of the inheritance almost indefinitely, depriving Jacob of the advantages of his acquired birthright.^[58]

In addition to transferring authority from one generation to the next, the blessing was an opportunity for a father to pronounce his son’s destiny. The blessing was not considered on the same level as prophecy, but it was considered binding simply by virtue of being spoken over the child.

5-10        Rebekah was listening to what Isaac said to his son Esau and immediately recognized the problem. If Isaac was able to bless Esau privately, then Esau would have authority to administer the inheritance. He would still be required to give Jacob the larger share, but he would be able to postpone the division for years. Consequently, in order to protect her favorite son and his interests, Rebekah resolved to do some plotting of her own.

11-12        Notice that Jacob’s first concern was not the dishonesty of the plan. Rather, he was concerned with the implementation – I will be revealed to [Isaac] – and consequences – I will… bring a curse rather than a blessing on myself. This reveals the real state of Jacob’s heart. Namely, he really did live up to his name as a trickster and one who grasps the heel. See note on 25:31-34.

13        Rebekah assuages Jacob’s concerns by taking any resulting curse upon herself. In effect, she accepts responsibility for forcing Jacob to go along with her plan to deceive Isaac.

14-17        Notice the great lengths Rebekah went in this deception. She called for goats rather than a cow because it would be leaner and tougher. She made the delicious food his father loved. She dressed Jacob in the best clothes of her older son Esau. She put the skins of the young goats on [Jacob’s] hands and the smooth part of his neck. She knew Isaac’s eyes were so weak that he could not see (1), so she did her best to trick all of his other senses. Tricking his ears was challenging (see vs 22), but her plan included tricking his senses of taste, smell, and touch.

23        Isaac here blessed Jacob, but this was not the main event, so to speak, because Isaac remained skeptical (24).

27        It is interesting that Isaac was skeptical of Jacob’s voice and the feel of the goat skin he was wearing, but he was finally convinced by the smell. Research has shown that the sense of smell shares a unique connection to our memory.

39-40        Isaac’s blessing to Esau seems anemic, but there is a reason for this. Only one person could have the authority over the household going forward. Only one person could divide the inheritance. In the arid Ancient Near East, there was only so much rich land and dew of the sky to go around. Since Isaac called for all of that to be given to Jacob, the best he could do was bless Esau with the promise that his descendants would eventually rebel and break the yoke of servitude from their necks.

41        We see here the origins of the conflict between Jacob and Esau: Esau held a grudge against Jacob. We must recognize that our sin inevitably has a relational cost. When we hurt people, we severely undermine our relationship with them. If we hurt them enough, that relationship will collapse.

[58] Keener and Zondervan 2016, Genesis 27:4