Gen. 26:34-27:1634And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 35Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. 1And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. 2And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: 3Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 4And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. 5And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 7Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death. 8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. 9Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savory meat for thy father, such as he loveth: 10And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. 11And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: 12My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. 13And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. 14And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savory meat, such as his father loved. 15And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: 16And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: (Genesis 26:34‑27:16)
“AND Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.” Esau’s pattern of life was contrary to the things of God from the very beginning, and his choice of wives from an idolatrous and godless nation must indeed have been a deep sorrow to his parents.
Isaac had become old and his sight nearly gone. Thinking he would die shortly (although he lived more than 20 years longer) he called Esau, his eldest and favorite son, to his bedside, saying to him: “Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons,... and take me some venison... and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.” vv. 2-4. Perhaps in his old age Isaac had forgotten that the blessing was to go to Jacob, or perhaps he was just following the wish of his own heart, but whatever the case, he was determined to give the birthright blessing at this time to the wrong son — Esau!
Esau did not delay in getting underway. Had he too forgotten that he had no right to this blessing, that he had sold it readily enough to his brother many years before? Whether he forgot or purposed deceit in his heart is not revealed, but God had not forgotten His promise concerning Jacob and He would not permit Isaac’s wish to be fulfilled.
Rebekah, near at hand when Isaac spoke to Esau, determined that Jacob should not be cut off, in spite of the aged father’s wishes. “Ant Rebekah spake unto Jacob her so saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother.” She then instructed him to go their flock and fetch two kids of goats. “And I will make them savory meat for thy father, such as loveth: And thou shalt bring it thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death, vv. 9, 10.
But Jacob, raised the question “Behold, Esau my brother is a hair man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.” vv. 11, 12. This however, presented no problem to the active and persistent mind of the mother, who would spare no mean to see her son receive the blessing due him. She therefore instructed him to do as she requested and told him she would be responsible for the rest.
After preparing the meat in a savory a manner as possible, she clothed Jacob in Esau’s clothing and covered his arms and neck with portions of the skins of the young goat. Thus if, as Jacob feared, his blind father should be suspicious and place his hands over him, he would feel the hairy likeness of Esau.
It is sad to read of this duplicity on the part of all concerned. Surely dependence on the Lord would have brought about a better way.
ML-07/03/1966