Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Genesis 27:18-24
‘And he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you my son?”
Jacob comes, no doubt trembling, to his father, honing the skills of deception that he will use so effectively later on. His father's reply reflects doubt. This does not sound like Esau. From this point on the writer skilfully builds up the tension for his hearers. Will Isaac see through the deception?
‘And Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you bade me. Get up, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison that your soul may bless me.”
The reply sounds right, but there is something Isaac does not like about the situation.
‘And Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because Yahweh your God sent me good speed.” And Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you my son, whether you are truly my son Esau or not.”
Isaac is uneasy. The speed with which the venison has been found adds to his already growing doubts. And the reply makes him even more uneasy. It is not like Esau to speak with such piety. He would have expected that of Jacob. He knows he must use his hands and feel the speaker so as to ensure who it is.
‘And Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” '
His son approaches and he feels his hands. There can be no doubt that they are hairy like Esau's. Certainly not Jacob's. He does not dream that his younger son would dare to deceive him. And how would Jacob know what he had asked Esau to do? But the voice, and the words spoken, they speak so much of Jacob. Yet in the end the hairiness decides it. That is decisive.
‘And he did not work out who he was because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him.'
The deception has worked. Isaac has been convinced. If we think he should have suspected we must remember he had no reason to suspect. And with his eyes blind and his illness, with his senses dulled (and he has not yet eaten), he accepts the evidence of the hairiness which can really not have any other explanation. The enormity of what Jacob has done is so great that Isaac probably would not have believed it was possible. Surely a son would not deceive his own father or a tribal member dare to deceive the patriarch? Yahweh Himself would pronounce on the iniquity of the man who deceives the blind (compare Leviticus 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:18 where the principle is in mind).
“So he blessed him.” A summary, speaking of what is to come indicating that he is now convinced. We have noted before this tendency to say briefly what happens before expanding on it, (see Genesis 26:1; Genesis 26:18). We might paraphrase ‘that is the main reason why he now enters the blessing process'.
‘And he said, “Are you truly my son Esau?” And he said, “I am'.
Isaac now moves into the blessing process. The question is formal. He is not now voicing suspicion but simply asking for the recipient to confirm his title.
(The blessing process goes - confirmation of the recipient, partaking of the requested offering, a sealing kiss, the blessing).