Lesson 23: Genesis 27

While the story of Abraham dominates the first half of Genesis, the central figure of the second half is Jacob. Significantly, the man whose name would be changed to Israel (he strives with God) came into this world with a name which could be translated as “supplanter” or “he cheats”. The text records the astounding transformation of a man who tried to garner blessings by his own means, to a man who much later in life could say “God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day” (Genesis 48.15).

We have already noted the shrewd dealings of Jacob as he bargained for his brother’s birthright (Genesis 25.29-34), and his efforts to supplant his brother take center stage in Genesis 27. However, it was not only Jacob whose faith was shown to be lacking in this chapter, rather none of the family were setting their minds on God’s will or seeking His way.

Notes From The Text:

Vss. 1-4, Isaac’s Desire To Bless Esau

• Vs. 1, remember that Isaac was 60 when Jacob and Esau were born (Genesis 25.26). Based on various age indicators found in the rest of Genesis, we would surmise Isaac’s age as 137. If so, Jacob and Esau would have been 77 years old. Note that Isaac would not die until he was 180 (Genesis 35.28).
• Vs. 3, recall that Isaac’s love of Esau was based, in part, on Esau’s status as a hunter (Genesis 25.28).
• Vs. 4
  • Note that Isaac desires to bless Esau was in spite of God’s declaration (Genesis 25.23) and in spite of Esau’s character (Genesis 25.29-34; 26.34-35).
  • Rebekah’s reporting of Isaac’s words (vs. 7) include the intent to bless Esau “before the Lord”, making it a very solemn occasion.
  • “This blessing is one that transfers the leadership of the clan to the next generation. If the inheritance remained undivided for some time (which was common), the privileged son (usually the firstborn) was designated the administrator of the estate. The administrator had significant control of the estate. His roles included presiding at sacrificial meals celebrated by the family, supervising burials and funerary rites, and serving as kinsman-redeemer. Jacob (and Rebekah on his behalf) would desire this because it was also in the administrator’s hands to approve the timing for the division of the inheritance. If Esau were the administrator, he could presumably delay the division indefinitely and thus deprive Jacob of the advantage of the double share of the inheritance.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary)

Vss. 5-29, Rebekah And Jacob’s Deception

• Vss. 8-13, “Rebekah never entertained the thought of going to God in prayer as she had done many years earlier during her troublesome pregnancy (25:22). She was confident that through this strategy Isaac would be deceived into pronouncing the blessing upon Jacob…Rebekah had lost all confidence in the promise of God or else because of that promise she thought she was justified in helping things along.” (James E. Smith)
• Vs. 20, note that Jacob is so committed to perpetrating this fraud on his father that he was even willing to invoke the Lord’s name! “This is one of the most blatant abuses of God’s name in Scripture.” (James E. Smith)
• Vs. 26, this is not the last betrayal sealed with a kiss (see Matthew 26.48-49).
• Vss. 27-29, Isaac’s blessing equated to to a prayer that the Lord would give Esau (Jacob) both abundance and rule. Significantly, they were NOT the blessings the Lord had bestowed on Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 12.1-3; 26.3-4), but they were contradictory to the pronouncement of God (Genesis 25.23).

Vss. 30-46, Esau’s Hatred Of Jacob

• Vs. 33, Isaac’s “trembling” could only mean that he finally realized that he had been battling against the will of God (cf. Exodus 19.16,18).
• Vs. 34, note the inspired commentary in Hebrews 12.16-17. Esau desired blessing, but he had no intention to repent, i.e. change his actions and behavior.
• Vs. 36, note Esau’s unwillingness to take responsibility for his own actions.
• Vss. 39-40, “Isaac pronounces over Esau the appropriate destiny of the ‘profane person’: the freedom to live unblessed (39) and untamed (40).” (Derek Kidner)
• Vs. 43, Jacob had secured the birthright and his father’s blessing, yet because of his deception and his brother’s rage, he would be forced to flee from both his father’s house and from the promised land.

Takeaway: “We Walk By Faith, Not By Sight”

This chapter makes interesting use of Isaac’s five senses. His eyesight was failing (vs. 1), his decision to bless Esau was based in part on his sense of taste (vs. 4), his senses of hearing, touch and smell failed him as he blessed Jacob rather than Esau (vss. 22-27). However, he should not have needed any of his senses to know which son to bless, because the Lord had already declared that “the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25.23). God’s people, whether Israel or the saints in Christ, are urged to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2Corinthians 5.7).