Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim, he called Esau, his elder son, to come close. He said, "My son, I am now an old man and my time on this earth is drawing to a close. Take your bow and quiver, go out into the field, and hunt for me some venison. Prepare it as you know I love, so that I can eat it and bless you before the Lord."

Rebekah, Isaac's wife, overheard her husband speaking to Esau. She immediately called Jacob, her younger son, and said, "Listen carefully, my son. Your father has just spoken to your brother Esau, telling him to bring back venison so he can eat it and bless him before the Lord, right before his death."

Rebekah told Jacob, "Bring me some venison from the field, and prepare a meal that your father loves. Then take it to him, and when he eats, he will bless you before the Lord." She added, "Now listen carefully, my son. Do exactly as I say.

"Go out to the flock and get two good kids of the goats for me. I'll make them into savory food that your father loves. Take this food to him, and when he eats it, he will bless you before his death."

Jacob said to Rebekah, "But, Mother, Esau is a hairy man, and I am smooth-skinned. If my father touches me, he might feel the hair on someone else's skin instead of mine, and then I'll be cursed instead of blessed." Rebekah replied, "May God curse you if anything like that happens! Just do what I've told you to do."

Jacob followed his mother's instructions and brought back two kids from the flock. He took them to Rebekah, who made savory food from them, just as Isaac loved it. She then gave Esau's clothing to Jacob and dressed him in them.

She put goat skins on Jacob's hands and neck to make him look hairy like his brother Esau. Finally, she handed Jacob the plate of food his father loved. He went to his father, who was sitting by the entrance of the tent.

When Isaac asked, "Who are you, my son?" Jacob replied, "I am your firstborn son Esau." Then Jacob said, "My father, I have done exactly what you told me to do. Come and eat the venison I brought from the field so that you can bless me before the Lord."

Isaac asked his son, "How was it that you were able to find venison so quickly?" Jacob replied, "The Lord provided for me." Isaac then said, "Come closer so I can feel your skin, my son. Am I feeling Esau's hands or not?"

Jacob approached his father, who felt his hands and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are hairy like those of Esau." Not recognizing that it was actually Jacob standing in front of him, Isaac blessed him.

Isaac asked Jacob again, "Are you really my son Esau?" And Jacob replied, "I am." Then Isaac said, "Bring me some of this venison so I can eat and bless you before the Lord." After eating, Isaac gave Jacob wine to drink.

Isaac then told his son, "Come closer now and kiss me." When Jacob kissed him, Isaac smelled the scent on Jacob's clothing and blessed him again.

He said, "God will give you blessings from heaven above and from the fertile land below. You'll have plenty of grain and fresh wine. People will serve you, and nations will bow down to you. You'll be master over your brothers, and they'll bow down to you. Anyone who curses you will be cursed, and anyone who blesses you will be blessed."

Just as Isaac finished speaking, Esau came in from hunting, carrying some venison with him. He approached his father and said, "My father, let me eat of my son's venison so that your soul may bless me."

Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" And Esau replied, "I am your son Esau." But Isaac trembled violently, saying, "Who is the one who hunted for game and brought it to me before you came? I've eaten of it all before you arrived, and now I've blessed him!"

Esau burst into a loud and bitter cry when he heard his father's words. He begged Isaac, "Bless me too, my father!" Esau accused Jacob of coming with deceit to take away the blessing meant for him.

Isaac replied, "I have made you master over your brothers and given them all as servants to you. I've also sustained you with grain and wine. What else can I do for you now?"

Esau said to his father, "Do you only have one blessing for me? Bless me too, please." He lifted up his voice and wept.

Isaac told Esau, "Your dwelling will be in the fertile land of the earth, and from heaven above you'll receive blessings. You'll live by your sword and serve your brother; when you gain power, you'll break free from his yoke."

Esau's anger against Jacob burned within him, and he thought to himself, "When my father dies, I will kill my brother." Rebekah learned about Esau's plan to harm her younger son.

She called Jacob and told him, "Your brother Esau is planning to hurt you. You must leave immediately for Haran, where your uncle Laban lives. Stay there with him until your brother's anger cools down."

Rebekah continued, "Why should I lose both of my sons on the same day? Wait a few days until your brother's anger has subsided, then I will send someone to bring you back."