Comments on Genesis 27 This chapter presents the famous, or infamous, story of Jacob's purloining Esau's blessing. This chapter is once again bracketed as the previous one was. This one is bracketed by Esau's marital activities in 26:34-35 and 28:6-9. His marriages are used in such a fashion to typify him in general, and explain why his attempt to obtain the blessing was thwarted. v4 "that my soul may bless thee before I die", the Hebrew for "soul" is nefesh, and implies the intended blessing is a spiritual one with its source being God and not himself, cf. v. 28. Isaac's intent here is to give an inspired blessing. v7 "bless thee before the Lord before my death", the JPS renders this as "bless you, with the Lord's approval, before I die" and indicates it is most literally "bless you, in the presence of the Lord, before I die". Here is an important difference. The JPS rendering shows there is subtle irony in Isaac's statement when he says he wants to give him this blessing "with the Lord's approval". Obviously, it is not the Lord's will, per Rebekah's revelation and the resulting outcome. Thus, the mix up is foreshadowed by Isaac's own statement. v14 "he went, and fetched, and brought", the JPS TC states "The Hebrew has a staccato succession of three short verbs: 'He went, he took, he brought'. The effect is a picture of Jacob performing the unpleasant deed with nervous haste." v20 Here Jacob actually uses the Lord's name in vain in effort to bolster the lie. Either that, or Jacob is privy to Rebekah's revelation and this is an obscure reference to that prediction being fulfilled. It seems more likely it is the former over the latter as there is no indication that Rebekah discloses her revelation. And, Jacob blatantly lied in v. 19 anyway, so he is perfectly willing to be dishonest. v33 "yea, and he shall be blessed", Isaac is initially shocked, but realizes that if the blessing was an inspired one then God could not have been deceived and therefore the blessing received by Jacob was the one God intended him to have. v36 In his anger, Esau resorts to personal attacks and juvenile name calling, again indicative of his character. Character sketches on Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau Isaac and Rebekah are presented as the opposites of Abraham and Sarai. Abraham is the spiritually prominent one in the marriage with Sarah, but Rebekah is the spiritually prominent one in the marriage with Isaac. Thus, the couples are cast as opposites. Jacob and Esau are also cast as opposites, with each of their parents choosing favorites. Isaac Unlike Abraham, and his son Jacob, Isaac's name goes unchanged. While his name was divinely instituted, it is a less than flattering one, not unlike Jacob's. On both accounts with the name changes of Abraham and Jacob it occurs at the point of covenant making. We have no such covenant making with Isaac. All of the covenant statements made involving Isaac are presented in the context of the continuation of the covenant made with his father (cp. 26:2- 5 26:24) which Isaac does heed but which he did not initiate. The text suggests Isaac's love for Rebekah was more ardor than anything else, a result of his displacing his emotions onto her from being grieved over his mother's death (cp. 24:67) "Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife" (cp. 25:21), this suggest he did it at her behest and not of his own volition. Interestingly enough, at no point does the text ever present Isaac as initiating contact with the Lord entirely on his own over some matter. Isaac favors Esau for rather superficial reasons (cp. 25:28), and this despite his boorish and rebellious behavior. "She is my sister" (cp. 26:7), while Abraham was telling the truth in a less than altogether forthright manner, here Isaac blatantly lies. However, later, he is observed indiscreetly fooling around with her and his deceit is exposed (cp. 26:8). Isaac permits Esau to marry Hittite women (i.e., more generally Canaanitish), which causes serious intra-family strife (cp. 26:34-35). Only afterwards does he prohibit Jacob from doing the same, and that after the prompting of Rebekah (27:46-28:4). "His eyes were too dim to see" (cp. 27:1), while the context is blatantly physical, there are obvious spiritual implications as the subsequent exchange is his mis-blessing as a result of his relying upon his physical senses and therefore being deceived. After the deception of the blessing, Isaac realizes that things turned out as they were supposed to be and blesses Jacob again with the blessing of his father Abraham (cp. 28:3-4). Rebekah She voluntarily lugs water for the family and for the servant's camel (cp. 24:15-20), even though her family is well-to-do(24:59, 61). She doesn't have to work, but does so anyway. Rebekah accepts the mission of Abraham's servant and the divine guidance concerning her betrothal to Isaac (cp. 24:15-67). She apparently prompts Isaac to plead before the Lord on her behalf presumably because of the lack of fulfilment of her marriage blessing appearing in 24:60. Unlike Sarai, she does not resort to concubinage even though she does have a handmaid as did Sarai. After conceiving, the pregnancy becomes difficult and this prompts her too seek revelation from the Lord. She goes and inquires of the Lord and receives revelation explaining the matter (cp. 25:22-23). Curiously enough, she doesn't appear to share this revelation with Isaac. Rebekah favors Jacob over Esau (cp. 25:28). Whether this is a result of the revelation she received or simply because Esau was a boor, or both, is not stated. She prompts Jacob to trick Isaac into obtaining his blessing, and presents herself as willing to take the potential curse upon herself in the event the act of deception is discovered (cp. 27:5-17). The entire plan is conceived and orchestrated by Rebekah. He motivation for the plan is not altogether clear, but in all likelihood is her perception of the earlier revelation indicating the younger son will succeed over the elder. She prompts Isaac to send Jacob away (to save him from Esau's murderous intent, cp. 27:43), and also insists that Isaac prohibit him from marrying Hittite woman (cp. 27:46). Esau In the womb he and Jacob struggle and this is presented as a type of their physical and spiritual struggles against each other in mortality. The two sons are presented as dichotomies at this point (cp. 25:22-23). Growing up, he becomes a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors (cf. 25:27). This kind of lifestyle is not looked well upon in the Torah, compare the characterization of Nimrod, the only other hunter identified by name (cp. 10:9). All of the patriarchs are presented as agriculturalists or pastoralists. Also consider when Cain is driven out of the presence of the Lord he is cursed such that he will have to live the life of a hunter (cp. 4:11-12). Isaac also pronounces something of a "blessing" upon him wherein he states "by your sword shall you live" (cp. 27:40), not a prediction which bodes well. In coming back unsuccessful from a hunting expedition (hunger is a common covenant curse) he reveals he is willing to eat blood (cp. 25:30, which something forbidden under the Noachide covenant, cf. 9:4). And subsequently sells his birthright for something to eat, "thus did Esau spurn the birthright" (cp. 25:34). One would presume that Esau had little use for the blessing because he was not a pastoralist, so there was no desire on his part to get a double portion of something that had no value to him. In this exchange we also learn that Esau is a pig when it comes to eating, as the Hebrew in 25:30 for "gulp down" (JPS) or "feed me" is the stem "l-`-t" which in rabbinic Hebrew is the used to refer to the feeding of animals. He marries two Hittite (i.e. more generally Canaanite) women, obviously "daughters of men", something very much frowned on by the early patriarchs, cf. 6:2. Esau wants his father's blessing because therein it contains promises of dominance over family issues and blessings of physical well-being, and when denied of it he weeps bitterly, and begs for an additional blessing (cp. 27:34- 38). This shows his great desire to be the master as well as be physically well off. His anger over losing the blessing turns into murderous intent and he plans on killing Jacob shortly after Isaac's death (cp. 27:41), presumably to obtain all that Jacob had robbed from him in the blessing. Attempts to ingratiate himself with Isaac and Rebekah by taking on additional non-Hittite/non-Canaanite wives (cp. 28:6-9) Jacob A pastoralist (cp. 25:27), perhaps a "momma's boy" (cp. 25:28). That Jacob is no "tough guy" is plain when he must flee before Esau's murderous plans rather than stand up to him (cp. 27:43). Refuses to feed his own brother unless he gives up his birthright by oath (25:29-34). Jacob wants the birthright, but later is not interested in the blessing enough to take the initiative in getting it. This would indicate his desire for material things as opposed to spiritual things, as he must be spurred on by Rebekah for the blessing. In the deception of Isaac in obtaining the blessing, he is more worried about getting caught than the ethics of the situation (cp. 27:11-12). Rebekah has to prompt him to get the blessing (cp. 27:6-10), indicating his lack of connection with the will of the Lord concerning the matter as the matter had been predicted by revelation. He is unwilling to go through with Rebekah's plan until she accepts the responsability for it in case things goes awry (cp. 27:13). He also blatantly lies to Isaac (cp. 27:19). Is familiar with things spiritual (cp. 28:17-19), but only when the going gets rough does he really get religious (cp. 28:20-22). Conclusion We have here a very interesting set of characters. Rebekah is presented as the one always taking the initiative when it comes to spiritual matters (naturally, with the exception of Isaac's decision to disburse the blessing). Otherwise, Isaac seems to sit back and just let things happen. He is agreeable on spiritual things, but isn't an initiator at all like Abraham was. And when it comes to blessing one of his two sons, well, neither one of them is particularly zealous when it comes to matters of religion so what difference does it make? So he rather arbitrarily selects Esau, despite all of his flaws, because he has always provided wild game and he is the firstborn after all, so why not? Esau appears to be a regular wild man who spent plenty of time away from camp hunting things and running amok, ultimately having his fancy tickled by foreign women. These foreign women were a regular pain to their in-laws, but what does he care? He probably wasn't around much anyway so it didn't matter to him. Jacob, on the other hand, hangs around camp and is more interested in obtaining material things using spiritual means as a ploy for obtaining them. Most interesting to me is the lack of communication between them. Isaac and Rebekah don't seem to talk much at all when it comes to spiritual things, and this leads to acts of deception being employed between them. Esau and Jacob obviously don't talk much either, having little in common. This is a classic offshoot from the Garden of Eden account, as good communication between Adam and Eve resulted in her not being entirely sure of what the commands were pertaining to the Tree of Knowledge and therefore opening her up for deception by the serpent. The moral of the story: Failure to communicate, with God and each other, causes real problems in people's lives. In Defense of Jacob Introduction Many people who read the account of Jacob obtaining the birthright and blessing from Esau feel that Jacob's performance is worthy of derision. Perhaps it was early on, but some go on to harbor negative feelings for Jacob despite the blessings the Lord bestows upon him. Some feel that the Lord simply had no choice in the matter as patriarchy demanded that one of Isaac's natural sons inherit the blessings of Abraham and Jacob was the better of the two. I feel we should analyze the account with greater effort in order to discover the deeper meanings which are present and the Lord's motives for endorsing a deceitfully obtained blessing. Endorsement of the Blessing Both Isaac and the Lord endorse the blessing after Jacob deceitfully receives it. Could not Isaac have revoked the blessing, or the Lord simply refused to honor it as it was obtained deceitfully? Isaac realizes that Jacob's actions are in fulfilment of Rebekah's prophecy as Esau announces that Jacob has obtained both the birthright and the blessing, and is rightly named "Supplanter" (27:36-37). Isaac therefore endorses the blessing upon Jacob and pronounces another on Esau (27:39-40). The prophecy given to Rebekah of the Lord (25:22-23) clearly illustrates the Lord's anticipating the events to come where Jacob will supplant Esau, thereby endorsing in advance Isaacs blessing upon Jacob. But, what of Jacob's subtlety? Rebekah's prophecy foretells the importance of the types shown forth in that Esau and Jacob will represent "two nations... and two manners of people." Thus, Jacobs unrighteous actions previous to receiving the blessing are shown forth as a type. Esau and Jacob While the accounts are not overly detailed as far as personalities are concerned, some safe deductions can be made. It is plain that Esau cared nothing for his birthright, as he gave it up for some stew (Genesis 25:34). It is not surprising Esau would give up the birthright so easily as he was a man of the field and the birthright entitled him to a double share of Isaac's possessions. But, of what use are tents, sheep and land to a hunter? Esau obviously failed to look beyond the physical benefits of obtaining the birthright. Furthermore, after Jacob duped Isaac into obtaining Esau's blessing, Esau contemplates murder (27:41). And, Rebekah's fear for Jacob's life shows the threat was not idle. Clearly Esau was no man of God. Some insight into Jacob's character is given when he refuses to feed his own starving brother (25:31). Only on obtaining the birthright by oath does Jacob feed him. This action also indirectly shows Jacob's interests were mainly in obtaining the birthright so as to get the double portion of the inheritance, as Jacob exercised initiative in obtaining the birthright, while apparently doing little to curry his father's favor so as to obtain the blessing honestly. Furthermore, when told by his mother to pose as Esau, Jacob's reaction is fear of being caught rather than pangs of guilt over acting in a deceitful manner. These actions paint a picture of someone who is interested mainly in worldly things. Assuming that Jacob knew of Rebekah's prophecy (which is a safe assumption as he swears an oath in 27:20 referring to the Lord's sanctioning the blessing of Jacob in place of Esau), it is also possible that Jacob was simply resting on his laurels after obtaining the birthright from Esau. Trusting that the prophecy would be fulfilled regardless, he didn't bother to do his part and gain his father's blessing honestly. He simply sat back and waited for the work of the Lord commence without helping it along. While it is possible that Jacob was simply not religious at all, it is more likely that Jacob was somewhat spiritual, but initially without strong convictions. Evidence for his being familiar with spiritual things would be his accepting the vision of the ladder as genuine, sanctifying the stone by anointing it with oil and covenanting with the Lord (28: 12-22). Esau and Jacob as Types Esau was rightful heir to the birthright, but sold it out of hunger for a bowl of stew and some bread. Being in want for food is a typical covenant malediction, as those who are disobedient are not blessed by the abundance of the earth. Esau's selling the birthright for food is also symbolic of rejecting spiritual blessings, both temporal and eternal, for worldly things. Esau desires his father's blessing but is far from worthy, as is displayed by forfeiting the birthright and in his murderous nature (27:41). This displays selfishness and open rebellion against the Abrahamic covenant. His marriage to non-believers further displays his disregard for the covenant as he makes worldly covenants rather than heavenly ones. Jacob obtains the birthright from the rightful inheritor, and gets the very same blessing his father was to pronounce upon the favored son. This represents those who have the birthright to the inheritance being supplanted by those who are more worthy, and the supplanters receive the same exact blessings the natural and rightful heir would have received. Jacob is somewhat religious but caught up in the ways of the world until he is forced to flee for his life, and upon realizing his position he repents and covenants with the Lord, which is typical of the exodus. Old Testament prophets who use Esau (also referred to as Edom or Idumea) as a type present him as one who disregards the Lord and indulges in worldly things. Thus, Esau as a type represents the wicked world, but a more specific interpretation of the willful rebellion of natural Israel against the covenant can also be applied (Isaiah 34:5-6; 63:1, Jeremiah 49:8-10, Ezekiel 35:5, Obadiah 1:6-18, Malachi 1:1-4). Jacob, as a type, represents the repentant in general, and more specifically the gentiles who embrace the gospel and receive the blessings of natural Israel (Isaiah 14:1; 41:8, Jeremiah 46:28, Hosea 12:2-6). Conclusion Jacob's actions were not above reproach at first, but Jacob repented, and in doing so became favored of the Lord. Christ taught the parable of the two sons in Matthew 21:28-32 wherein the first son says to his father "I will not" but repented and went, and the second son says "I will" then goes not. Christ then states that the first son is the one who actually does the father's bidding and will enter in before the second son. This parable is broadly interpreted to imply that the first son represents Epraim and the second son represents Judah. In light of the preceding discussion, the parable is also derivative of the relationship between Isaac, Esau and Jacob. Let us recognize the overarching importance of the sybolism in Jacob's actions rather than find fault with him. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.