Then Isaac said to him, “My son, come near and kiss me.” So he came near and kissed him. Isaac recognized the smell of his son’s clothes and blessed him, saying,
“Ah, the smell of my son
is like the smell of a lush field that YAHWEH has blessed!
May God give you heaven’s dew,
the fatness of earth,
and an abundance of grain and new wine!
Let peoples serve you
and nations bow down to you!
May you be master over your brothers
and may your mother’s sons bow down to you!
Those who curse you will be cursed
and those who bless you will be blessed!”
No sooner had Jacob left from receiving the blessing of his father Isaac, than his brother Esau arrived home from hunting. He too prepared a savory meal for his father and took it to him. He said to Isaac, “Sit up my father; eat some of your son’s wild game so that you can give me your innermost blessing.”
His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”
“I’m Esau, your firstborn son,” he answered.
When Isaac realized what had happened, he began to tremble and shake violently. He asked, “Who was it then that hunted wild game and brought it to me? I’ve already eaten it all before you came, and I gave him the blessing—yes, and he will be blessed indeed!”
When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst into bitter weeping and uncontrollable sobbing. He said to his father, “Bless me! Bless me too, father!”
Isaac answered, “Your brother was here and deceived me. He has taken away your blessing.”
Esau exclaimed, “Jacob, that heel grabber—the name fits him perfectly! Now he has tricked me twice! He stole my birthright, and now he’s robbed me of my blessing!” Then he asked, “Father, haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”
Isaac replied, “You don’t understand. My blessing will empower him to be master over you. I have already given him all his brothers and relatives as servants. My blessing will richly provide him with grain and new wine. What more is left for me to do for you, my son?”
Esau pleaded with his father, “Is that the only blessing you have to give? Bless me too, my father!” Esau could not hold back his tears and he wept loudly. Then Isaac his father spoke these words:
“You will live far from earth’s bounty
and far from heaven’s dew on high.
You will live by the sword and serve your brother;
but when you grow restless,
you will break free from his control.”
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