27 So Jacob went to Isaac and kissed him. Isaac smelled the clothes that Jacob wore. Then Isaac blessed him. He said,
‘The smell of my son is like the smell of a field.
It is like a field that the Lord has blessed.
28 May God give you rain for your crops,
so that they grow well in the good ground.
Then you will have plenty of grain for food.
And you will have grapes to make wine.
29 May the people of many nations serve you.
May they respect you as their master.
You will rule over your brothers.
Yes, your mother's sons will bend down to respect you.
May God curse anyone who curses you.
And may he bless anyone who blesses you.’
30 When Isaac had blessed Jacob, Jacob left him. At that moment, Esau came back from the country where he had killed an animal. 31 He prepared nice food that Isaac liked to eat. Then he took the food to his father, Isaac. Esau said, ‘My father, please sit up. Eat some of the meat from the wild animal that I have killed. Then you can bless me.’
32 His father Isaac asked, ‘Who are you?’
Esau replied, ‘I am your firstborn son, Esau.’
33 Isaac's body shook very strongly. He asked, ‘Who was it who killed an animal and brought the meat to me? Just before you came, I ate all of it. And then I blessed him. And God will certainly bless him!’
34 Esau heard what his father had said and he cried aloud. He was very upset. He said, ‘My father, please bless me too!’
35 But Isaac said, ‘Your brother came to me. He deceived me and he took your blessing away from you.’
36 Esau said, ‘Yes, “Jacob” is the right name for him. He has cheated me twice. First he took my birthright. Now he has taken my blessing as well!’ Then Esau said to his father, ‘You must surely still have some blessing for me.’
27:36Jacob means ‘He deceives’.
37 Isaac said to Esau, ‘I have made Jacob master over you. All his relatives will now be his servants. I have given him crops and wine. So what can I still do to bless you, my son?’
38 Esau said, ‘My father, you surely still have one blessing for me. Please bless me too!’ Then Esau wept loudly.
39 Isaac replied,
‘You will not live in a place where the ground gives good food.
You will not have rain to make your crops grow.
40 You will have to fight to get the things that you need.
You will serve your brother as your master.
But when you choose to turn against him,
you will become free from his power over you.’
27:40This was the only blessing that Isaac could give Esau. He could not take back the blessing that he gave to Jacob.
