Genesis 27:1

CHAPTER XXVII

Isaac, grown old and feeble, and apprehending the approach of

death, desires his son Esau to provide some savoury meat for

him, that having eaten of it he might convey to him the

blessing connected with the right of primogeniture, 1-4.

Rebekah hearing of it, relates the matter to Jacob, and

directs him how to personate his brother, and by deceiving

his father, obtain the blessing, 5-10.

Jacob hesitates, 11, 12;

but being counselled and encouraged by his mother, he at last

consents to use the means she prescribes, 13, 14.

Rebekah disguises Jacob, and sends him to personate his

brother, 15-17.

Jacob comes to his father, and professes himself to be Esau,

18. 19.

Isaac doubts, questions, and examines him closely, but does

not discover the deception, 20-24.

He eats of the savoury meat, and confers the blessing upon

Jacob, 25-27.

In what the blessing consisted, 28, 29.

Esau arrives from the field with the meat he had gone to

provide, and presents himself before his father, 30, 31.

Isaac discovers the fraud of Jacob, and is much affected,

32, 33.

Esau is greatly distressed on hearing that the blessing had

been received by another, 34.

Isaac accuses Jacob of deceit, 35.

Esau expostulates, and prays for a blessing, 36.

Isaac describes the blessing which he has already conveyed, 37.

Esau weeps, and earnestly implores a blessing, 38.

Isaac pronounces a blessing on Esau, and prophecies that his

posterity should, in process of time, cease to be tributary

to the posterity of Jacob, 39, 40.

Esau purposes to kill his brother, 41.

Rebekah hears of it, and counsels Jacob to take refuge with her

brother Laban in Padanaram, 42-45.

She professes to be greatly alarmed, lest Jacob should take any

of the Canaanites to wife, 41.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVII

Verse Genesis 27:1. Isaac was old] It is conjectured, on good grounds, that Isaac was now about one hundred and seventeen years of age, and Jacob about fifty-seven; though the commonly received opinion makes Isaac one hundred and thirty-seven, and Jacob seventy-seven; but Genesis 31:55, c.

And his eyes were dim] This was probably the effect of that affliction, of what kind we know not, under which Isaac now laboured and from which, as well as from the affliction, he probably recovered, as it is certain he lived forty if not forty-three years after this time, for he lived till the return of Jacob from Padan-aram; Genesis 35:27-1.