INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 27 In this chapter we are informed, that Isaac, being old and dim sighted, sent for Esau to get him venison, that he might eat of it, and bless him before he died, Genesis 27:1; that Rebekah hearing of this formed a scheme for Jacob to get the blessing before him, which she... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD,.... He is generally thought to be about one hundred and thirty seven years of age at this time, which was just the age of his brother Ishmael when he died, Genesis 25:16; and might put him in mind of his own death as near at hand; though if he was no old... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, BEHOLD, NOW I AM OLD,.... Genesis 27:1: I KNOW NOT THE DAY OF MY DEATH; how soon it will be; everyone knows he must die, but the day and hour he knows not, neither young nor old; and though young men may promise themselves many days and years, an old man cannot, but must or should liv... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE, TAKE, I PRAY THEE, THY WEAPONS,.... Or "thy vessels", or "instruments" n, his instruments of hunting: as THY QUIVER AND THY BOW; the former is the vessel or instrument, in which arrows were put and carried, and has its name in the Hebrew language from its being hung at the girdle, th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MAKE ME SAVOURY MEAT, SUCH AS I LOVE,.... For, though he had lost his sight, he had not lost his taste, nor his appetite for savoury food: AND BRING [IT] TO ME, THAT I MAY EAT; this, was enjoined to make trial of his filial affection and duty to him, before he blessed him: THAT MY SOUL MAY BLE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND REBEKAH HEARD WHEN ISAAC SPAKE TO ESAU HIS SON,.... She might hear Isaac call to him by one means or another, that he had sent for him, or might see him go into his father's tent, and might stand at the door of it and listen to hear what he said to him; though the Targum of Jonathan says, she he... [ Continue Reading ]
AND REBEKAH SPAKE UNTO JACOB HER SON,.... Who was in the tent with her, and for whom she had the strongest affection: SAYING, BEHOLD, I HEARD THY FATHER SPEAK UNTO ESAU THY BROTHER; heard the conversation that passed between them, and particularly what Isaac had given in charge to Esau, SAYING, as... [ Continue Reading ]
BRING ME VENISON, AND MAKE ME SAVOURY MEAT,.... Fetch him venison out of the field, and dress it in a savoury manner, and bring it to him: THAT I MAY EAT, AND BLESS THEE BEFORE THE LORD BEFORE MY DEATH; the phrase "before the Lord" is here added, which yet perhaps might be expressed by Isaac, thoug... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE, MY SON, OBEY MY VOICE,.... Hearken to what I am about to say, and do ACCORDING TO THAT WHICH I COMMAND THEE, IN EVERY PARTICULAR; she required of him filial obedience to all that she enjoined him; which, though not difficult to be performed, she was aware Jacob would make objections... [ Continue Reading ]
GO NOW TO THE FLOCK,.... To the flock he had the care of, and that immediately, for the case required haste: AND FETCH ME FROM THENCE TWO GOOD KIDS OF THE GOATS; two young kids that were fat, as Jonathan and Ben Melech interpret it; and, though two may seem to be too much to be dressed for Isaac on... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL BRING [IT] TO THY FATHER,.... For venison; and as if he was Esau that brought it: THAT HE MAY EAT, AND THAT HE MAY BLESS THEE BEFORE HIS DEATH; to whom she knew by the divine oracle the blessing belonged, Genesis 25:23, as well as by virtue of the sale of the birthright to him by his... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JACOB SAID TO REBEKAH HIS MOTHER,.... Being timorous lest he should do an ill thing, and be accounted a deceiver, and bring a curse upon himself: BEHOLD, ESAU MY BROTHER [IS] A HAIRY MAN; covered all over with hair; as with a hairy garment; so he was born, and so he continued, and no doubt his... [ Continue Reading ]
MY FATHER PERADVENTURE WILL FEEL ME,.... For, though he could not see him, and so discern whether he had any hair or no on him, yet, suspecting him by his voice, he might call him to him to feel him, as he did; for Jacob understood his mother right, that he was to represent his brother Esau in the t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS MOTHER SAID UNTO HIM, UPON ME [BE] THY CURSE, MY SON,.... That is, if thy father should curse thee, which I am well assured he will not, let the curse, be what it will, fall upon me, and not on thee; I shall bear the blame and the punishment: this she said in the strong faith of the divine o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WENT AND FETCHED AND BROUGHT [THEM] TO HIS MOTHER,.... Being satisfied with what his mother had said, he went to the field where the flock was, and took out of it two young kids, and brought them to his mother; and thus far he did right to obey her commands: AND HIS MOTHER MADE SAVOURY MEAT,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND REBEKAH TOOK GOODLY GARMENTS OF HER ELDEST SON ESAU,.... Or "desirable" q ones, exceeding good ones: WHICH [WERE] WITH HER IN THE HOUSE; which she had the care and keeping of, and were wore only on particular occasions: some think these were priestly garments, which belonged to him as the first... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE PUT THE SKINS OF THE KIDS OF THE GOATS UPON HIS HANDS,.... Upon both his hands, and the whole of them that was bare, that he might appear to be like Esau: AND UPON THE SMOOTH OF HIS NECK; which in Esau was covered with hair as his hands; and Hiscuni, a Jewish writer s, observes, that the sk... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE GAVE THE SAVOURY MEAT,.... Seasoned and dressed in such a manner as might be taken for venison: AND THE BREAD WHICH SHE HAD PREPARED to eat with it, INTO THE HAND OF HER SON JACOB; the dish of meat in one hand, and the bread in the other.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CAME UNTO HIS FATHER,.... Into the tent and apartment where he was: AND SAID, MY FATHER; to try whether he was awake, and to let him know that he was come, since he could not see him: AND HE SAID, HERE [AM] I; what hast thou to say to me? WHO [ART] THOU, MY SON? for, from the voice and the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JACOB SAID UNTO HIS FATHER, I [AM] ESAU THY FIRSTBORN,.... Had he only said that he was his firstborn, he might have been excused from lying, because he had bought the birthright of Esau; but when he says, I am Esau, he can by no means be excused; for to say he impersonated Esau will not do; bes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ISAAC SAID UNTO HIS SON,.... Supposing him to be Esau: HOW [IS IT] THAT THOU HAST FOUND [IT] SO QUICKLY, MY SON? that is, the venison; that he had met with it so soon in, the field, and got it dressed and ready in so short a time, which was not common, and seemed to be too little for doing all... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ISAAC SAID UNTO JACOB, COME NEAR, I PRAY THEE, THAT I MAY FEEL THEE, MY SON,.... Still suspecting some fraud in the case; and whereas he knew that Esau was a hairy man, and Jacob smooth, he thought by feeling he could discover the imposture, if there was any: WHETHER THOU [BE] MY VERY SON ESAU,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JACOB WENT NEAR UNTO ISAAC HIS FATHER,.... Boldly and without trembling; which he could the better do, as his father could not see him, and so not capable of discerning any change in his countenance or outward behaviour: AND HE FELT HIM; some parts of his body, especially his hands: AND SAID,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE DISCERNED HIM NOT,.... As he could not see, he could make no judgment by that sense; and, though he had his hearing, and thought the voice was like Jacob's, he might imagine there might be an alteration in Esau's voice, coming in haste and weary from the fields; yet, as there could not be any... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID, [ART] THOU MY VERY SON ESAU?.... Still having some doubt on his mind whether he really was so or not, because of his voice: AND HE SAID, I [AM]; as for the observation of Jarchi upon this, in order to excuse Jacob from lying, that he does not say, "I am Esau", only "I", it will not do, si... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, BRING [IT] NEAR TO ME,.... Being in a good measure satisfied that it must be Esau that was with him, he agreed that he should set his savoury meat before him he had prepared and brought to him: AND I WILL EAT OF MY SON'S VENISON, THAT MY SOUL MAY BLESS THEE; this showed that as yet he... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS FATHER ISAAC SAID UNTO HIM,.... After he had eat and drank, and the repast was over, and all were took away: COME NEAR NOW, AND KISS ME, MY SON; which was desired either out of affection to him, excited by this instance of preparing such savoury and agreeable food; or else having some suspi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CAME NEAR, AND KISSED HIM,.... Jacob came near and kissed Isaac his father: AND HE SMELLED THE SMELL OF HIS RAIMENT; which being not like the smell of a sheep coat, but of a field, might give him more full satisfaction that it was truly Esau: AND HE BLESSED HIM; with his patriarchal and pro... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE GOD GIVE THEE OF THE DEW OF HEAVEN,.... Or "shall" or "will give thee" x, seeing he was blessed of God, and the blessed seed should spring from him, as well as his posterity should inherit the land of Canaan; for this is said rather by way of prophecy than wish, and so all that follow; and... [ Continue Reading ]
LET PEOPLE SERVE THEE, AND NATIONS BOW DOWN TO THEE,.... Which was literally true in the times of Joshua and the judges, when the Canaanites were conquered and subdued, and those that remained became tributary to the Israelites; and still more so in the times of David, a son of Jacob, in the line of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS SOON AS ISAAC HAD MADE AN END OF, BLESSING JACOB,.... So that he had the whole entire blessing, and nothing wanting; and takes in blessings of all sorts, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, of which the land of Canaan, and the fruits of it, were typical: AND JACOB WAS YET SCA... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE ALSO MADE SAVOURY MEAT, AND BROUGHT IT UNTO HIS FATHER,.... Which was made of real venison, or of creatures taken in hunting, and not like Jacob's, made of other flesh, in imitation of it; for what the Jewish writers a say is not to be regarded, that he was hindered from getting true venison,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ISAAC HIS FATHER SAID UNTO HIM, WHO [ART] THOU?.... Hearing another voice more like Esau's than what he had heard before surprised him, and therefore in haste puts this question: AND HE SAID, I [AM] THY SON, THY FIRSTBORN ESAU; all which was true in a sense; he was his son, and he was Esau, and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ISAAC TREMBLED VERY EXCEEDINGLY,.... Or "trembled with a great trembling exceedingly" b; he was amazed, and astonished, and seized with a trembling all over his body, and with terror and confusion of mind; at the craft of Jacob in getting the blessing; at the disappointment of Esau in losing it;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN ESAU HEARD THE WORDS OF HIS FATHER,.... That another person had been before him, and got the blessing; and especially when he heard this ratified, and confirmed, and made irrevocable: HE CRIED WITH A GREAT AND EXCEEDING BITTER CRY; as loud as he possibly could, and in as doleful and hideou... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, THY BROTHER CAME WITH SUBTILTY,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so Jarchi, interpret it, "with wisdom", taking it in a good sense, and as excusing the fact; or rather commending it, as if it was wisely and prudently managed; but the word signifies fraud and deceit, and so i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, IS NOT HE RIGHTLY NAMED JACOB?.... As he was by his parents, and those that were at his birth, because he took his brother by the heel as he came out of his mother's womb; for Jacob signifies "heeler", a supplanter, and was given him to keep up the memory of what he had done, to which E... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ISAAC ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO ESAU,.... Giving an account of the blessing be had bestowed upon his brother: BEHOLD, I HAVE MADE HIM THY LORD; the lord of his posterity, who would be subdued and become tributary to his seed: AND ALL HIS BRETHREN HAVE I GIVEN TO HIM FOR SERVANTS; the Edomites, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ESAU SAID UNTO HIS FATHER, HAST THOU BUT ONE BLESSING, MY FATHER?.... He seems to speak diminutively of what had been given to Jacob, calling it one blessing: whereas there were many, and of different sorts, both temporal and spiritual; but it may be Esau had not so clear and comprehensive a vie... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ISAAC HIS FATHER ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM,.... Being willing to bestow what he could upon him, without lessening or breaking in upon the grant made to Jacob: BEHOLD, THY DWELLING SHALL BE THE FATNESS OF THE EARTH, AND OF THE DEW OF HEAVEN FROM ABOVE: this agrees with part of the blessing of J... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BY THY SWORD SHALT THOU LIVE,.... By what he could get by it; his land being so poor that he could not live upon it, but must be obliged to such methods for a livelihood; or his country being surrounded with enemies, his posterity would be obliged to defend themselves by the sword, and other wea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ESAU HATED JACOB BECAUSE OF THE BLESSING WHEREWITH HIS FATHER BLESSED HIM,.... It being a better blessing than his; giving him a better country, and greater plenty of good things, a larger dominion, and even dominion over him and his seed; for as for the promise of the Messiah, and spiritual ble... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE WORDS OF ESAU HER ELDEST SON WERE TOLD TO REBEKAH,.... Jarchi and Jonathan say, by the Holy Ghost; but Aben Ezra thinks, by one of Esau's friends and confidants, to whom out of the abundance of his heart he had revealed this secret, which is not at all unlikely: AND SHE SENT AND CALLED JA... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE, MY SON, OBEY MY VOICE,.... Hearken to what I say, and do according to it, as he had already in many instances, and particularly in a late one, in which he succeeded, and therefore had good reason to attend to her advice and direction, see Genesis 27:13; AND ARISE, FLEE THOU TO LABAN... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TARRY WITH HIM A FEW DAYS,.... Which Aben Ezra interprets a few years; rather, as Hiscuni, one year; perhaps it may be better should it be said one or two years; but instead of so short a time Jacob stayed there twenty years, and perhaps Rebekah never saw him anymore, being dead before he return... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL THY BROTHER'S ANGER TURN AWAY FROM THEE,.... Which is repeated from the preceding verse, to carry on the connection: AND HE FORGET [THAT] WHICH THOU HAST DONE TO HIM; in getting the blessing from him; being convinced that Jacob had done him no injury, and that he had no just cause of being an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND REBEKAH SAID TO ISAAC,.... Not what she had told Jacob concerning the enmity of Esau to Jacob, and his intention to kill him, lest it should grieve him, and bring his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave; but what follows, as an excuse to get Isaac's leave for Jacob's departure, concealing the tr... [ Continue Reading ]