Study Desk

She put the skins of the goats on his arms and on the hairless part of his neck.

Then Jacob went to his father and said, "Father!" "Yes," he answered. "Which of my sons are you?"

Jacob moved closer to his father, who felt him and said, "Your voice sounds like Jacob's voice, but your arms feel like Esau's arms."

He did not recognize Jacob, because his arms were hairy like Esau's. He was about to give him his blessing,

Then his father said to him, "Come closer and kiss me, son."

As he came up to kiss him, Isaac smelled his clothes—so he gave him his blessing. He said, "The pleasant smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed.

Isaac finished giving his blessing, and as soon as Jacob left, his brother Esau came in from hunting.

He also cooked some tasty food and took it to his father. He said, "Please, father, sit up and eat some of the meat that I have brought you, so that you can give me your blessing."

Isaac began to tremble and shake all over, and he asked, "Who was it, then, who killed an animal and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came. I gave him my final blessing, and so it is his forever."

Esau said, "This is the second time that he has cheated me. No wonder his name is Jacob. He took my rights as the first-born son, and now he has taken away my blessing. Haven't you saved a blessing for me?"

Isaac answered, "I have already made him master over you, and I have made all his relatives his slaves. I have given him grain and wine. Now there is nothing that I can do for you, son!"

Esau continued to plead with his father: "Do you have only one blessing, father? Bless me too, father!" He began to cry.

You will live by your sword, But be your brother's slave. Yet when you rebel, You will break away from his control."

Esau hated Jacob, because his father had given Jacob the blessing. He thought, "The time to mourn my father's death is near; then I will kill Jacob."

He found out that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Mesopotamia.

Esau then understood that his father Isaac did not approve of Canaanite women.

So he went to Ishmael son of Abraham and married his daughter Mahalath, who was the sister of Nebaioth.

At sunset he came to a holy place and camped there. He lay down to sleep, resting his head on a stone.

Jacob got up early next morning, took the stone that was under his head, and set it up as a memorial. Then he poured olive oil on it to dedicate it to God.

Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East.