Book: [[Genesis]] Next chapter: [[Genesis 28]] # Overview ## [[Jacob]] cheats [[Esau]] out of the Blessing - [[Isaac]] is old and blind, and asks [[Esau]] to hunt some food for him so he can bless him - [[Rebekah]] overhears, and conspires with [[Jacob]] to trick [[Isaac]] into giving his blessing to [[Jacob]] instead - [[Isaac]] is convinced by the food and costume and gives his blessing to [[Jacob]] ## [[Esau]]'s discovery and worse blessing - [[Esau]] immediately returns and begged for a blessing as well - [[Isaac]], almost equally distressed, claims that he already gave his best blessing to [[Jacob]], but gives him a secondary one instead ## [[Esau]]'s vow for vengeance and [[Jacob]]'s escape - Understandably, [[Esau]] hated [[Jacob]] and vowed to kill him - [[Rebekah]] overhears this and sends [[Jacob]] to hide with her brother [[Laban]] in Haran ([[Aram]]) - To conclude, [[Rebekah]] complains once more about the daughters of Heth, the [[Hittite]] # Details ## Blessing of [[Jacob]] vs blessing of [[Esau]] | | Jacob | Esau | | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Land | "heaven's dew and earth's richness" | "away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above" | | Power | "nations serve you and peoples bow down to you"<br>"lord over your brothers" | Will serve [[Jacob]] but will rebel | | Repetition of Abraham's Blessing | "May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed" | None | ## Theme: [[Younger supplanting older]] Yet another instance ## The patriarch's wife as the primary driver of rebellion - Much like [[Eve]], [[Rebekah]] is the primary instigator of sinful actions while a patriarch meekly goes along # Questions - Tricking Isaac for Esau's blessing -- how is this related to Esau selling Isaac birthright in [[Genesis 25]]? - 27:36 makes a distinction - Why is [[Jacob]], the progenitor of the people of [[Israel]] and part of the line of ancestry of [[David]] and ultimately [[Jesus]], depicted as a "cheater"? - Why was [[Isaac]] ignoring the first prophesy about the twins from [[Genesis 25]]:23, or why didn't [[Rebekah]] tell him?