Part 31

26:34. And Esau being forty years old, married wives, Judith, the daughter of Beeri, the Hethite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon, of the same place.

26:35. And they both offended the mind of Isaac and Rebecca.

Genesis Chapter 27

Jacob, by him mother’s counsel, obtaineth his father’s blessing instead of Esau. And by her is advised to fly to his uncle Laban.

27:1. Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see: and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him: My son? And he answered: Here I am.

27:2. And his father said to him, Thou seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death.

27:3. Take thy arms, thy quiver, and bow, and go abroad; and when thou hast taken something by hunting,

27:4. Make me a savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and bring it that I may eat: and my soul may bless thee, before I die.

27:5. And when Rebecca had heard this, and he was gone into the field to fulfil his father’s commandment,

27:6. She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with Esau, thy brother, and saying to him:

27:7. Bring me of thy hunting, and make me meats that I may eat, and bless thee in the sight of the Lord, before I die.

27:8. Now therefore, my son, follow my counsel:

27:9. And go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best, that I may make of them meat for thy father, such as he gladly eateth.

27:10. Which when thou hast brought in, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die.

27:11. And he answered her: Thou knowest that Esau, my brother, is a hairy man, and I am smooth:

27:12. If my father should feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing.

27:13. And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son: only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said.

27:14. He went, and brought, and gave them to his mother. She dressed meats, such as she knew his father liked.

27:15. And she put on him very good garments of Esau, which she had at home with her:

27:16. And the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck.

27:17. And she gave him the savoury meat, and delivered him bread that she had baked.

27:18. Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he answered: I hear. Who art thou, my son?

27:19. And Jacob said: I am Esau, thy firstborn: I have done as thou didst command me: arise, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

I am Esau thy firstborn.... St. Augustine (L. Contra mendacium, c. 10), treating at large upon this place, excuseth Jacob from a lie, because this whole passage was mysterious, as relating to the preference which was afterwards to be given to the Gentiles before the carnal Jews, which Jacob by prophetic light might understand. So far is certain, that the first birthright, both by divine election and by Esau’s free cession belonged to Jacob: so that if there were any lie in the case, it could be no more than an officious and venial one.

27:20. And Isaac said to his son: How couldst thou find it so quickly, my son? He answered: It was the will of God, that what I sought came quickly in my way:

27:21. And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or no.

27:22. He came near to his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob; but the hands, are the hands of Esau.

27:23. And he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like to the elder. Then blessing him,