Chapter 27

1 Isaac sendeth Esau for venison. 6 Rebekah instructeth Jacob to obtain the blessing. 15 Jacob under the person of Esau obtaineth it. 30 Esau bringeth venison. 33 Isaac trembleth. 34 Esau complaineth, and by importunity obtaineth a blessing. 41 He threateneth Jacob. 42 Rebekah disappointeth it.

1. When Isaac was old. From the following considerations, Isaac must have been about 137 years of age when the incident narrated in this chapter took place. Esau was already married (v. 46). This occurred when Isaac was 100 years old (see chs. 26:34; 25:26). But, as will be seen, the events recorded here must have occurred at a much later time even than that. Jacob was 130 years old when he went down to Egypt (ch. 47:9), and his son Joseph 39. This is clear from the fact that the latter was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh (ch. 41:46), and that since that time 7 abundant and 2 lean years had passed (chs. 41:54; 45:6). These 9 years must be added to the 30, making Joseph 39 years of age. Jacob was consequently 91 years old when Joseph was born. This had taken place at the end of 14 years of Jacob’s service in Laban’s house (chs. 29:18, 27; 30:25); therefore Jacob was 77 years old when he fled to Haran. Since Jacob’s flight probably followed soon after the events of this chapter, and since his father Isaac was 60 years old when Jacob was born (ch. 25:26), Isaac’s age in ch. 27 must have been about 137 years. Isaac lived for another 43 years, to the ripe age of 180 (ch. 35:28).

4. That my soul may bless thee. Since his half brother Ishmael, 14 years his senior (chs. 16:16; 21:5), had died at the age of 137 years (ch. 25:17), his own increasing infirmities of age may have suggested the thought of approaching death. Without regard to God’s instructions with reference to the two children before their birth, and without taking notice of Esau’s barter of his birthright and his Canaanite marriages, Isaac apparently persisted in his preference for Esau. This preference being strengthened by his taste for game (ch. 25:28), it was natural that he should call for “venison” to celebrate the occasion.

5. Rebekah heard. What motives impelled her to this course of action? It seemed to her that God’s choice of Jacob was about to be thwarted. Isaac’s intention was clear, and it was contrary to God’s revealed will. Apparently she concluded that neither reason nor argument would change his mind. Feeling that God desperately needed her help, Rebekah took matters into her own hands. She resorted to one wrong in the hope of righting another. To her the crisis seemed real and urgent. Isaac, supposing he was on his deathbed, had determined to transfer the birthright to Esau. By dispatching Esau to the field for game, he had initiated the process of transfer, which, when complete, would be irrevocable. What should she do? It was in her power to prevent what appeared to be an irrevocable wrong. This was her last chance to act, and should she let it slip, all hope would be gone. To refrain from action when it was in her power to remedy the situation, and simply trust God to work things out in His own good way and time, seemed impossible. By such a process of rationalization she sought to convince herself that any means to secure the desired end was justified. Was she not helping God to bring about His own clearly expressed purpose? And if in so doing she should commit sin, would God not be obliged to forgive her? When men set their hearts upon a course of action not in accord with the strictest standard of right, their foolish hearts grow dark. White looks black, and wrong looks right. And whenever what God has clearly said to be all wrong appears to be all right, the hypnotic power of the tempter is complete (Gen. 3:6; Rom. 1:21, 22; Isa. 5:20; Micah 3:2).

12. A curse upon me. Rebekah silenced Jacob’s fear of the curse his father might pronounce on him should his deception be discovered; she would accept the curse herself. She was as set in her way as Isaac was in his. Bent upon securing that which seemed of supreme value, and which was about to elude her grasp, she would count the cost later—not now. For the present, only one thing mattered. She was so certain of the success of her stratagem as to have no fear whatever of the possibility of a curse.

14. He went. Jacob acceded to her plan and fetched the goats. These were not the common European variety, whose skins would be quite unsuitable for any such deception. They were the camel goats of the Orient, whose black, silklike hair was sometimes used as a substitute for human hair.

Jacob’s objection makes it clear that he was not so much concerned with the wrong of the act as with the risk of discovery. Degenerate human nature is less concerned with sin than with its results. Only the Spirit of Christ can impart to man a contrite, repentant heart, bold to do right and willing to trust God for the results of such a course of action (see 2 Cor. 7:10; Micah 6:8). For years Jacob had schemed to obtain the coveted blessing, and now that it was about to slip from his grasp, but little persuasion on Rebekah’s part was necessary to transform his hesitancy into active cooperation. His own unsanctified desires made him an easy victim to the wiles of the tempter.

19. I am Esau. The task of convincing his father was by no means easy or certain of success. Having announced his arrival, Jacob was confronted with several embarrassing questions. One deception after another was necessary to the accomplishment of his objective. He declared himself to be Esau and the kid’s meat to be venison, and attributed his speedy return to the presumed blessing of God.

24. Art thou my very son Esau? Isaac’s sense of touch must have been seriously affected by his infirmity or by his age. On the other hand, his sense of hearing was more acute, and made him suspicious of Jacob’s voice. But the scent of field and forest upon Esau’s garments (v. 15) seemed to confirm the touch of his son’s hairy hands. Finally, the fragrant aroma of “savoury meat” (v. 9) whetted his appetite, and he dismissed his fears. He could not see; but touch, taste, and smell prevailed over hearing. The original mistake that had led to this deception was Isaac’s own. Furthermore, he had deliberately gone forward with his plan to invest Esau with the birthright in the face of a divine command to the contrary, and God therefore permitted him to be deceived (see 1 Sam. 28:6; 1 Kings 14:1–6; Acts 5:1–11).

27. And blessed him. The blessing itself, as with all such pronouncements (see Gen. 49; Deut. 33), is in Hebrew poetic style. This consists of parallel clauses whose diction and grammar are peculiar to poetry. The scent of field and forest upon the clothing Jacob wore suggested to the patriarch’s mind a picture of his son’s future prosperity. Isaac seemed to see him in possession of the Promised Land and in the full enjoyment of its accompanying blessings. Special mention is made of the “dew of heaven” because in Eastern countries, where there is so little rain, the dew is indispensable to the growth of the fruits of the earth. It is often mentioned as a source of blessing (Deut. 33:13, 28; Hosea 14:5; Zech. 8:12).

29. Let people serve thee. Jacob was to be pre-eminent, not only over his brethren, in the wider sense of all his relatives, but over foreign peoples as well. This blessing envisions the concept of universal dominion, which was indeed God’s original plan for Israel (see Deut. 4:6; 28:10; 2 Chron. 9:22, 23; Ps. 126:3; Zech. 2:11; 8:22, 23; 14:16; COL 289, 290).

32. Who art thou? Jacob had scarcely received the blessing and left his father when Esau returned. The shock must have been crushing to Isaac. But, he apparently saw in the incident the intervention of Providence and concluded that any further attempt on his part to act contrary to God’s will would be futile. He knew he could not; therefore he would neither withdraw the blessing from Jacob nor seek to inflict a curse upon him. Isaac must have realized his own responsibility for the sad situation; why should he blame Jacob? As Esau had acted independently of his parents in the selection of a wife, so Isaac had acted independently of God in attempting to select his heir. Like Balaam, Isaac found himself powerless to turn away the blessing of God from one destined to receive it (see Num. 22:35; 23:8, 11, 12).

36. Is not he rightly named Jacob? As to the meaning of Jacob’s name see on ch. 25:26. Esau complained bitterly that Jacob had now deceived him twice. True, he, Esau, had sold his birthright to Jacob; but now, too late, he recognized his folly. Jacob’s taking advantage of him he now saw to be what it truly was—robbery.

38. But one blessing, my father? To be sure, God has unlimited blessings that He is ready to bestow with a lavish hand. Had Esau realized that his defective character disqualified him from receiving the blessing, and that it could be his only through a reversal of attitude, the blessings of God to Abraham and Isaac might have been his also (see Jer. 18:7–12). But it was not with this in mind that Esau spoke. He coveted the blessing without any intention of accepting the obligations that went with it. Like the elder son in the parable of the prodigal, he was jealously unwilling that favor should be shown his younger brother (Luke 15:29).

Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. In response to Esau’s further entreaty, “Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?” Isaac repeated in substance the blessing pronounced upon Jacob, and told Esau that he could do nothing further for him. When even his father, his best friend, seemed to turn against him, Esau awoke, finally, to the awful realization of his utter rejection by God. His tears expressed sorrow for his loss, but not for the conduct which had made that loss inevitable. His tears were ineffectual because he was no longer capable of true repentance (see Heb. 12:17). Like an impassable chasm, his imperfect character stood between him and the realization of that which now seemed to him of incomparable value (see Jer. 8:20; Luke 16:26; COL 271).

39. His father answered. Moved by the pathetic lament of his beloved son Esau, Isaac complied with his impassioned appeal. Once more Isaac spoke, perhaps by inspiration, this time of the future lot of Esau. This pronouncement, however, is not called a “blessing.” Actually it was a modified curse.

Thy dwelling. Literally, “Thy dwelling shall be [from, min] the fatness of the earth, and of [from] the dew of heaven.” According to the KJV, Esau’s “blessing” appears to be, substantially, a repetition of the temporal blessing given to Jacob. There are, to be sure, certain important variations, such as the omission of “plenty of corn and wine,” and of the name of God.

The KJV translation is grammatically possible. However, the preposition “of,” min, also means “way from.” Isaac’s meaning would then be, “Thy dwelling shall be away from the fatness of the earth, and away from the dew of heaven,” meaning that in contrast to the land of Canaan, the home of the Edomites would be an infertile region. Such a rendering is not only in accord with the Hebrew construction but is decidedly more appropriate to the context and to the facts of history: (1) It is an apt description of the dreariness and desertlike character of Idumaea, the home of Esau’s descendants. (2) It agrees with Isaac’s statement that every blessing had already been bestowed upon Jacob and avoids having him reverse himself (vs. 33, 37). (3) It explains the play upon the words “fatness” and “dew,” here descriptive of a state of affairs precisely the opposite to that declared to be the lot of Jacob (v. 28). This interpretation, it is true, treats the preposition min of v. 39 differently from that of v. 28. The different phraseology of the two verses, however, suggests that in v. 39 Isaac is making a clever play on words. The fact that Isaac here does not mention the name of God may indicate that this pronouncement was made on his own authority and not by inspiration—as was that addressed to Jacob.

40. By thy sword. The mode of life and occupation of the Edomites were well adapted to their country. This prediction found its fulfillment in the fierce and warlike disposition of the Edomites, who gained their sustenance by hunting and controlling forcefully the trade routes.

Serve thy brother. The promise to Esau envisioned a perpetual, and not altogether unsuccessful, struggle for freedom from Jacob. This was a repetition of the divine prediction made prior to their birth (ch. 25:23). The history of Edom is largely a reiteration of servitude to Israel, revolt from Israel, and reconquest by Israel. After a long period of independence to start with, the Edomites were defeated by Saul (1 Sam. 14:47) and later subjugated by David (2 Sam. 8:14). In spite of an attempted revolt under Solomon (1 Kings 11:14–22), they remained subject to the kingdom of Judah until the time of Joram, when they rebelled (2 Kings 8:20–22). They were subdued again by Amaziah (2 Kings 14:7–10; 2 Chron. 25:11–14), and remained in subjection under Uzziah and Jotham (2 Kings 14:22; 2 Chron. 26:2). (The control of Elath, at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, was tantamount to the control of all Edom.) It was not till the reign of Ahaz that the Edomites permanently shook off the yoke of the kings of Judah (2 Kings 16:6; 2 Chron. 28:16, 17). At length, however, they were completely conquered by John Hyrcanus, about 126 b.c., compelled to accept circumcision, and merged into the Jewish state (Josephus Antiquities xiii. 9. 1; xv. 7. 9). At a still later period, through Antipater and Herod, an Idumaean dynasty ruled Judea, with the blessing of Rome.

The predictions of Isaac concerning his two sons were thus accurately fulfilled (Heb. 11:20). The blessing upon each son constituted a prophecy. Though Isaac was deceived when he spoke concerning Jacob, what he said was nevertheless inspired, and Jacob remained blessed (Gen. 27:33). That this was so does not indicate divine approval upon the act of deception, for God is not dependent upon artifice to accomplish His will. God did not ordain the act of deception, He overruled it. The blessing came to Jacob, not because of deception, but in spite of it.

Parents and sons were all in the wrong, and each in his own way suffered as a result. The perpetrators of deception were forthwith and forever separated. Rebekah was obliged to send her beloved son forth from his father’s house to a foreign land, never to see him again. Jacob suffered for his sin against brother and father by 20 years of exile, during which he was himself repeatedly deceived and disappointed. Furthermore, he went forth from home utterly destitute. Isaac, by the success of Jacob’s stratagem, was chastened for persisting in his preference for Esau in spite of the revealed will of Jehovah. He was to be separated from the son he had passed by, and to have ever before him the ungodly example of the son he had cherished so blindly. For his contempt of God and religious things, Esau forfeited forever the privileges of family leadership due the first-born. And through all the counterplay of human plans and passions the purpose of God was accomplished.

41. The days of mourning. Esau’s despair soon changed into mortal hatred for his brother, but out of respect for his father he decided to spare him the sorrow and shame of the intended act of fratricide. Thinking that his father’s illness would end in early death, he postponed his planned act of murder. He could not know, of course, that his father would recover and live 43 years longer.

43. Flee thou to Laban. Perhaps Esau was generally popular among the retainers of Isaac. There were others who shared a knowledge of his plot. When Rebekah was informed by one of these of Esau’s intention, she advised Jacob to go into voluntary exile for “some days,” thinking that the vacillating disposition of Esau would bring a change of heart. Furthermore, by flight Jacob would be tacitly admitting his mistake and would leave Esau, apparently, in possession of his father’s property at the time of Isaac’s supposed imminent decease.

45. Why should I be deprived? If Esau should kill Jacob, then the latter’s nearest relative was obliged by custom to kill Esau. Perhaps Esau reasoned that his own personal popularity in camp would protect him from such an eventuality, particularly after the death of his father.

46. I am weary. In order to obtain Isaac’s consent to her plan without wounding his heart by telling him of Esau’s murderous intentions, she based her proposal upon an entirely different and legitimate reason. Isaac readily consented, for he, like Rebekah, was grieved by Esau’s wives (ch. 26:35).

Ellen G. White comments

1-46PP 179-183; SR 88-89

1-4PP 179

6 SR 88

6-8, 30PP 180

31-34PP 181

34 SC 26

34-41CH 110

36 Ed 147; PP 181

41-43Ed 147; PP 183, 237; SR 89