A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

similar symptoms of aging in his own life. What Isaac interpreted to be the end of his life was in
reality a sickness from which he would recover. He would live eighty years longer. But as his
son Esau began a family of his own while he lay sick in bed, he was certain the end was near.
Isaac felt it was time to pass the family blessing to Esau. Whereas the birthright included the
special privilege of carrying on the family name and had special spiritual significance, the
blessing included the financial inheritance. Jacob had stolen the family name but would not get
Esau’s money.
The theft of a blessing (277:1-33)
Isaac had determined to bless his firstborn son Esau notwithstanding the problems the son
had caused the family in his marriage. Esau was still his favorite son and preferred as a “real
man” over his brother Jacob. Calling Esau to his bedside, Isaac asked him to go hunting and
prepare a venison dish he enjoyed. It seems clear that Isaac viewed the meal as a sort of last meal
to be followed by the bestowal of the family blessing and his imminent death.
But as the father and son talked, another became aware of the conversation. “Now
Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau, his son” (v. 5). As Esau went out on a hunting
expedition, Rebekah herself had things to do and do quickly.
Rebekah called Jacob and told him of the plan of his father. It was then she added her
own plan. Jacob was to go to the flock and find two of the finest kids, which she would prepare
as Isaac’s favorite dish. No doubt the sickness of Isaac had affected his taste to some extent and
with the addition of the appropriate spices, it was doubtful he would be able to distinguish
between venison and goat. Then Jacob would serve the meal to his father posing as his brother,
and receive the family blessing himself.
It was at this point that Jacob expressed his doubts. He and his brother were so different
he suspected he would be caught in the act. While Esau was hairy, Jacob was smooth. How could
“fair” Jacob convince his father he was his “weatherbeaten” brother?
Rebekah had an answer for that problem. She took the skins from the kids and sewed
them for the hands and neck of Jacob. Though Esau’s skin would be weather-beaten due to his
constant exposure to the sun and dry wind, it is doubtful that it was as course as that of an
untanned hide or that his hair was as thick as that of a goatskin. But if the sickness of Isaac was
affecting his sight and taste, it was reasonable to assume his touch would also be affected. If
Isaac would feel the goat hair, it would be enough to distinguish Esau from Jacob. Rebekah
dressed Jacob in the finest clothes of Esau which she could find. Now he not only felt like Esau,
he even smelled like him.
The plan of Rebekah worked to accomplish what she wanted. Isaac identified the voice of
Jacob (v. 22), but was convinced not to trust his hearing. Thinking he was addressing his son
Esau, Isaac blessed his son. But the deception did not last long. No sooner had Jacob left than
Esau arrived with his venison. Yet as Isaac realized he had been deceived, he also recognized
God wanted him to bless Jacob rather than Esau. “And indeed he shall be blessed,” Isaac
confessed (v. 33).
The threat of Esau (w. 34-46)
If Isaac was prepared to accept the deceptive act of Jacob as effecting the will of God in
blessing his sons, Esau certainly was not. His contempt for his brother was expressed in his
slander of his brother. He claimed Jacob had been just as deceptive in “taking away” the