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Genesis 27:1

Genesis 27:2

Genesis 27:3–4

Genesis 27:5–7

Genesis 27:8–10

Genesis 27:11–12

Genesis 27:13

Genesis 27:14

Genesis 27:15–16

Genesis 27:17

Genesis 27:18

Genesis 27:19

Genesis 27:20

Genesis 27:21

Genesis 27:22

Genesis 27:23–24

Genesis 27:25

Genesis 27:26

Genesis 27:27

Genesis 27:28

Genesis 27:29

Genesis 27:30

Genesis 27:31

Genesis 27:32

Genesis 27:33

Genesis 27:34

Genesis 27:35

Genesis 27:36

Genesis 27:37

Genesis 27:38

Hebrews 12:16–17

Genesis 27:39–40

Genesis 27:41

Genesis 27:42

Genesis 27:43–45

Genesis 27:46

Doctrines Alluded To

Blessing by Association

Edification Complex Structure

Human Viewpoint Versus Divine Viewpoint

Patriarch Timeline

Revolution

Chapters of the Bible Alluded To

Genesis 22

Genesis 24

Genesis 25

Genesis 29

Genesis 30

Genesis 36

Many who read and study this chapter are 1^st or 2^nd generation students of R. B. Thieme, Jr., so that much of this vocabulary is second nature. One of Bob’s contributions to theology is a fresh vocabulary along with a number of concepts which are theologically new or reworked, yet still orthodox. Therefore, if you are unfamiliar with his work, the definitions below will help you to fully understand all that is being said. Also, I have developed a few new terms and concepts which require definition as well.

In addition, there are other more traditional yet technical theological terms which will be used and therefore defined as well.

Sometimes the terms in the exegesis of this chapter are simply alluded to, without any in-depth explanation of them. Sometimes, these terms are explained in detail and illustrated. A collection of all these terms is found here: (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).

Definition of Terms

Angelic Conflict

During human history, there is an invisible conflict being played out and tied to human history, which is call the Angelic Conflict. This began with the fall of Satan and has flowed into our own lives since Satan tempted the first woman to sin against God. The two primary objectives of Satan with respect to man are (1) to keep people from believing in Jesus Christ and (2) to keep believers from growing spiritually and participating in the production of divine good. See the Angelic Conflict (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).

Chiasmos

This is a format where the first passage can be matched to the final passage; the second passage can be matched to the second-to-the-last passage, etc. It is called a chiasmos (or, chiasmus) based upon the letter chi (Χ). Many times, this structure can be used to find the key element of the psalm or to rearrange the psalm. (Chiasmos example) (Thomas B. Clarke) (Brad McCoy)

Rebound (Restoration to fellowship with God)

In the New Testament, this is naming your sins to God, so that you are both restored to temporal fellowship with God and are then filled with the Spirit of God. In the Old Testament, naming your sins to God would result in a restoration of fellowship and, in some cases, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit once again (the Holy Spirit was not given to all Old Testament believers). See the Doctrine of Rebound (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).

The Revealed God (or, the Revealed Lord)

We all come to a time of God-consciousness where we understand the concept and possibility of the existence of God. At that point, we face 2 great questions: (1) do we want to know this God and (2) are will willing to believe in God as He has revealed Himself or do we make a god in our own image and worship that? In both the Old and New Testaments, God will make Himself known (He reveals Himself) to those who will believe in Him and to others as well. We know Him firmly and concretely as Jesus Christ; and in the Old Testament, He is known as the God of the Jews, the Creator of the Universe, the God of Moses (or of Abraham), etc.

Type, Antitype, Typical

A type is a preordained representation wherein certain persons, events, and institutions of the O.T. stand for corresponding persons, events, and institutions of the N.T. Types are pictures or object lessons by which God has taught His redemptive plan. They are a shadow of things to come, not the image of those things (Col. 2:17 Heb. 8:5 10:1). See the Doctrine of Typology (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).

Some of these definitions are taken from

http://gracebiblechurchwichita.org/?page_id=1556

http://www.bibledoctrinechurch.org/?subpages/GLOSSARY.shtml

http://rickhughesministries.org/content/Biblical-Terms.pdf

http://www.gbible.org/index.php?proc=d4d

http://www.wordoftruthministries.org/termsanddefs.htm

http://www.realtime.net/~wdoud/topics.html

http://www.theopedia.com/

Wenstrom: Genesis 27 gives us a perfect example of the “overruling will of God” in the lives of His people where Isaac’s bad decision to give the blessing to Esau and not Jacob is “overruled” by God.

Wenstrom on the Categories of the Will of God

The sovereign will of God functions three different ways in relation to the will of angels and men:

(1)     Directive will of God: God directly states what He desires of us.

(2)     Permissive will of God: God permits us to have our own way.

(3)     Overruling will of God: God overrules our decisions-not letting them have their intended results-in order to protect us and the rest of mankind from our own negative volition and to preserve and perpetuate His own marvelous plan.

A comparison of Genesis 25:23 with Genesis 27 manifests the function of God’s “directive”, “permissive” and “overruling” will. The “directive” will of God for the lives of Esau and Jacob is revealed in the Lord’s prophecy to Rebekah prior to the birth of the twins, which is recorded in Genesis 25:23. The “permissive” will of God is manifested in Genesis 27:1-4 where the Lord “permits” Isaac to attempt to give the blessing to Esau rather than Jacob. The “overruling” will of God is manifested in Genesis 27:5-46 where Jacob deceives Isaac and receives the blessing rather than Esau.

From http://www.gracenotes.info/BIBLE_STUDIES/GENESIS.pdf (Genesis 27) accessed July 14, 2016.

This is a fascinating story.

An Historic Example of God’s Overruling Will

Newscaster Paul Harvey told a remarkable story of God's providential care over thousands of allied prisoners during World War II, many of whom were Christians. One of America's mighty bombers took off from the island of Guam headed for Kokura, Japan, with a deadly cargo. Because clouds covered the target area, the sleek B-29 circled for nearly an hour until its fuel supply reached the danger point. The captain and his crew, frustrated because they were right over the primary target yet not able to fulfill their mission, finally decided they had better go for the secondary target. Changing course, they found that the sky was clear. The command was given, “Bombs away!” and the B-29 headed for its home base.

Some time later an officer received some startling information from military intelligence. Just one week before that bombing mission, the Japanese had transferred one of their largest concentrations of captured Americans to the city of Kokura. Upon reading this, the officer exclaimed, “Thank God for that protecting cloud! If the city hadn't been hidden from the bomber, it would have been destroyed and thousands of American boys would have died.” God's ways are behind the scenes; but He moves all the scenes which He is behind. We have to learn this, and let Him work.

From Joe Guglielmo; http://www.ccmanitowoc.org/ accessed August 19, 2016. Original source unknown.

Various Commentators Introduce Genesis 27

Gary Everett: Genesis 27:1-40 records the story of how Rebekah and Jacob deceive Isaac in order to get his blessing. We in the western culture are shocked at how easily Rebakah deceived her own husband. As a culture with a Judeo-Christian mindset, virtue is esteemed as the greatest virtue, and to behave with deceit is considered sinful. However, we must remember that the patriarchs were not living in a Judeo-Christian culture, but rather a culture where deceit and cleverness ruled man’s behaviour, and was even considered an esteemed virtue. Rebekah had grown up in such a deceitful culture, and although she loved her husband, she easily fell into the behaviour norm of deceit, and led her son Jacob into this behaviour without hesitation. It has been my experience while being a missionary in Africa that cleverness is the expected norm for such cultures, while my Christian upbringing causes my conscience to abstain from such behaviour. In fact, deceit is a problem within the African churches as a result of its systemic problem within the local culture.

Dr. Robert Dean, Jr.: From here on we see that these people aren't very nice people. They are manipulative, deceptive, and are constantly trying to get the better of one another. And the more they get away from God, the more they drift spiritually from the standard that Abraham set the more chaos enters into their life until there is this totally fractured and fragmented family that comes along when Jacob's sons try to kill their brother Joseph, and when they get talked out of that they sell him into slavery. Yet these are the ones whom God has chosen to be the custodian of His revelation and plan of salvation. If that doesn't tell us something about grace, what will? This deterioration is really seen to begin in this Isaac episode with Esau giving up the birthright at the end of chapter 25, and now this episode in chapter 27.

Leupold: This chapter offers one of the most singular instances of God's overruling providence controlling the affairs of sinful men and so disposing of them that the interests of God's kingdom be safeguarded. Usually the guilt of Jacob is overemphasized, and Esau Is regarded as relatively or entirely the innocent party in the transaction. This traditional view requires modification and correction.

J. Vernon McGee: This chapter has as its theme Jacob and Rebekah conniving to get the blessing of Isaac for Jacob. It is the blessing which Isaac intended for Esau. You see, Jacob wanted the blessing of his father. He knew God had promised his mother that the elder would serve the younger; so the blessing was his already. However, he did not believe God. Rebekah, his mother, did not believe God. Evidently Isaac, the father, didn't believe God or he would never have attempted to bypass Jacob and give the blessing to Esau. He followed his own feelings and appetite in contradiction to the distinct Word of God.

McGee continues: The method Jacob used in obtaining the birthright cannot be supported on any grounds whatsoever. He used fraud and deceit. His conduct was despicable. God did not condone this any more than He condoned the conduct of Sarah and Abraham in the matter of Hagar and Ishmael. God could not use the trickery and cleverness of Jacob. As we shall see, God deals with this man in a very definite way. Jacob had to pay for his sin in the same coin in which he sinned. You will note that as we get into this chapter.

C. H. Mackintosh certainly gives one of the best overall views of what we are studying: God's purpose must stand, and He will do all His pleasure. Faith knows this; and, in the power of that knowledge, can wait for God's time. This nature never can do, but must set about gaining its own ends, by its own inventions. These are the two grand points brought out in Jacob's history — God's purpose of grace, on the one hand; and on the other, nature plotting and scheming to reach what that purpose would have infallibly brought about, without any plot or scheme at all. This simplifies Jacob's history amazingly, and not only simplifies it, but heightens the soul's interest in it also. There is nothing, perhaps, in which we are so lamentably deficient, as in the grace of patient, self-renouncing dependence upon God. Nature will be working in some shape or form, and thus, so far as in it lies, hindering the outshining of divine grace and power. God did not need the aid of such elements as Rebekah's cunning and Jacob's gross deceit, in order to accomplish His purpose. He had said, "the elder shall serve the younger." This was enough — enough for faith, but not enough for nature.

C. H. Mackintosh continues: [I]n Rebekah and Jacob, we see nature taking advantage of nature in Isaac and Esau. It was really this. There was no waiting upon God whatever. Isaac's eyes were dim, he could therefore be imposed upon, and they set about doing so, instead of looking off to God, who would have entirely frustrated Isaac's purpose to bless the one whom God would not bless.

S. R. Driver: [Genesis 27 is a] striking and picturesque narrative, full of circumstance and detail, which impart to the descriptions animation and life. Its aim is to shew how Jacob finally secured precedence over the firstborn ; and so obtained the better land, the greater power, and even dominion over his elder brother. The means was his father's blessing, which was held in antiquity (cf. on ix. 25) to exert a determining influence upon a person's future. But the blessing was won by craft and falsehood {vv. 19, 20, 24). Jacob was Rebekah's favourite son, as Esau was Isaac's (xxv. 28); and the narrative tells how, instigated by his ambitious and designing mother, Jacob deceives his aged father, and wrests from his brother his father's blessing. That the action of Rebekah and Jacob was utterly discreditable and indefensible, is of course obvious. The writer (though his sympathies seem to be with Jacob) narrates all without comment,— it may be in accordance with the usual (though, it is true, not quite uniform) custom of the Biblical writers to leave the reader to form his own judgement on the events recorded; but it may be also, because, as Gunkel observes, the moral sense has been educated gradually.

Bob Deffinbaugh : The family unit has been split into two factions, each headed by a parent who wants to live out his own expectations through his son, at the expense of the others.

As R. B. Thieme, Jr. has said on many occasions, a right thing must be done in a right way. If a right thing is done in the wrong way, it is not a part of the plan of God. You cannot go out and rob a convenience store with the promise to God of giving Him 50%. The very act that you are doing to gain the money nullifies whatever positive results you think will come of your sinful act.

Application: Quite obviously, you are not going to rob a bank to give money to the church; God has not promised that one of your children will be bless over the other child. How do we apply this? You may find yourself in love with the person that you want to marry. You do not get to have sex with them until you are actually married. Being in love and wanting to get married to the right person—these may be understood as doing the right thing. However, if you bring sin into the picture, it is going to screw things up. Or, you have a job to do. You must do your job as unto the Lord. That is the right thing. You do not accomplish this in the wrong way; for instance, looking like you are working when you are not.

Interestingly enough, there is at least one commentator (Keith Krell) who sees Genesis 27 and part of 28 is being intentionally bookended by the marriages of Esau; and that Esau’s marriages are the true context of this narrative. The ESV; capitalized is used below.

What I have done below is taken Krell’s general concept (which was a very good one, the more that I thought about it) and then run with it; and then I went back and read his commentary and added some points from that commentary.

The Marriage Bookends of Genesis 27:1–28:5

1.      The beginning of this passage is Gen. 26:34–35 When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.

2.      At the end of Genesis 27, Rebekah complains to Isaac about Esau’s wives: Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?" (Genesis 27:46)

3.      The end of this passage is: Gen. 28:6–9 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he directed him, "You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women," and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan-aram. So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father, Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth.

4.      In between, we have the blessing of Jacob through the deception of Isaac (Genesis 27) and the legitimate blessing of Jacob by Isaac (Genesis 28:1–5).

5.      What is happening here is, God the Holy Spirit is giving us clues concerning the purpose of this narrative and the purpose of these events. These passages at the beginning and the end is God the Holy Spirit saying to us, “This is what it is all about. This is why these events are unfolding in this way.”

6.      Esau was married at age 40, and he made some bad choices in life.

7.      Esau married two Hittite women, whom he must know are off limits, given the fact that Abraham clearly instructed his servant to bring Isaac a wife from their family in the east. Both Esau and Jacob had to be aware of this story found in Genesis 24 (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).

8.      So, Abraham sends his top servant on a very long journey, to find a wife for Isaac, rather than to allow him to marry some Canaanite woman. This should have made some kind of impression on Esau (I believe that Genesis 24, based upon its repetition, was a bedtime story for Esau and Jacob).

9.      There are few decisions more important than the decision of who one is to marry (whether you are a man or a woman). Even Paul, hundreds of years later, warns believers not to be unequally yoked (that is, coupled with an unbelieving wife or with a spiritually immature wife).

10.    Jacob, who is still unmarried in Genesis 27, is going to carry on the blessings of Abraham and Isaac, but since these blessings are very much related to his seed, Jacob needs to be married; and he must marry a woman who also worships the God of Abraham.

11.    Jacob cannot marry a Hittite or a Canaanite woman, as they lack, for the most part, reverence for the Revealed God (which is why God will destroy the peoples of Canaan in 500 years or so).

12.    So, we know this: Jacob is the line of promise, Jacob is unmarried, Esau has married some heathen women, and later he will marry some daughters of Ishmael (who did believe in the Revealed God).

13.    So, how does God get a hard-headed believer like Jacob off his duff to find a wife of the right stock?

14.    Jacob has step it up, as he is 77 in this narrative (by many accounts), and when he marries, he needs to be able to sire children.

15.    Jacob cannot marry just any woman.

16.    In Genesis 27, God, allowing the volitions of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau to play out—and none of them have clear, godly motives—will move Jacob to a place where he will meet and marry a woman who worships the God of Abraham. Furthermore, God will get his family started quickly within a very compressed time frame.

17.    Genesis 27:1–28:5 do not tell us anything about Jacob and the woman (actually, women) he will marry; but this chapter and a half tells us about the circumstances that send Jacob out of the land to find the woman (women) God designed for him.

18.    We know that all of this is geared toward putting Jacob in the right place at the right time, despite the fact that has not grown spiritually; and will resist God on many instances in his life. In fact, illustrative of his resistence of God will be a wrestling match between Jacob and the Lord Jesus Christ (in His Incarnate Form), which will result in Jacob having a limp for the rest of his life, to remind him of how much he has opposed God during his life. The idea is, God is telling the hard-headed Jacob, “If you would stop opposing Me at every turn, I would not have to have damaged your hip and gait.” (Genesis 32:22–32)

19.    At the very end, Jacob will meet a woman that he falls in love with (Rachel); he will be cheated by his Uncle Laban (Rebekah’s brother), who is far more deceptive and manipulative than Jacob or his mother Rebekah. What will happen is, Jacob will be tricked into marrying Leah, whom he is not in love with, rather than Rachel. Interestingly enough, Leah actually appears to be healthier in all regards (physically, genetically and spiritually) than her sister Rachel. Furthermore, two other women will be thrown into the mix (the personal servants of Leah and Rachel) who provide, overall, a more diverse gene pool for the sons of Jacob.

20.    So, God manages to take two parents, each of whom is playing favorites, one of whom is actually acting in opposition to the plan of God; and then two twin sons, each of whom has his own problems and own lack of spiritual discernment. How do you take a mess like this and turn it in the right direction? That is what Genesis 27 is all about.

After thinking about this topic and then writing about it, I have to conclude the Krell is a very shrewd expositor. I don’t believe that I would have thought about this topic apart from him.

I developed this doctrine first, but then went back to Krell’s dissertation on this subject and added a few more points based upon what Krell wrote.

See Keith Krell’s perspective here: From https://bible.org/seriespage/34-trick-or-treat-genesis-2634-289 accessed August 21, 2016.

This is a fairly nice introduction:

Steven J. Cole Introduces Genesis 27

Frank Sinatra’s well-known song, “I Did It My Way,” was shocking for its blatant ungodliness. Of course what Sinatra stated plainly in that song, “I did it my way,” is true of every person who does not submit his life to Jesus Christ. Most people just aren’t as open as Sinatra in stating the controlling force of their lives.

In Genesis 27, four people sing Sinatra’s song. Isaac does things his way by trying to bestow the family blessing on Esau, in opposition to God’s revealed will. Esau tries to take back what he had already sold to his brother Jacob. When he is foiled, he plans to kill his brother. Rebekah deceives her aging husband into giving the blessing to her favorite son, Jacob. And Jacob lies to his father and outsmarts his brother. Rebekah and Jacob could argue that they were only trying to bring about the will of God, since God had told Rebekah that her older son would serve the younger. But I’m not persuaded by those who attribute high motives to Rebekah and Jacob. I think that what you have here are four self-centered people seeking their own advantage. They all did it their way, not God’s way. In the end they all came up empty and paid a high price for their selfishness.

It is presented as a drama with four characters. First (27:1-4), Isaac comes on the stage with his selfish desire, based on his appetite, to give the blessing to Esau, who goes off to comply with Isaac’s plan. In scene two (27:5-17), Rebekah, who was eavesdropping, hatches her plot to deceive Isaac and get the blessing for Jacob. In the third scene (27:18-29), Jacob successfully carries out his mother’s scheme. In the fourth scene (27:30-40), Isaac and Esau discover they have been deceived. Isaac can only give a lesser blessing to Esau. In the conclusion (27:41-46), we see the consequences: Esau plans to kill Jacob, while Rebekah plots how to divert that crisis. Each of the characters illustrates the theme: Each seeks his or her own way; each is frustrated in not getting what he sought; and each pays a high price.

The drama is marked by some undercurrents which run through the chapter. The first is haste or urgency. Isaac seems to be near death’s door when he summons Esau to his bedside. Actually, Isaac, who was 137, lived 43 more years. But you get the feeling that he has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel—Esau needs to get on with his mission. While Esau is gone, Rebekah quickly summons Jacob, and there is a flurry of activity as they prepare to deceive the blind old man before Esau returns from his hunt. Jacob barely makes it out the door before Esau comes back. There is haste in Rebekah’s urgent words to Jacob, “... arise, flee to Haran ...!” (27:43).

From http://www.fcfonline.org/content/1/sermons/012697m.pdf accessed August 20, 2016.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary has a unique viewpoint as to how Isaac has withstood the will of God for so many years, and yet, in this final instance, gave in to it, blessing Jacob and then personally accepting and confirming that very blessing even to Esau.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Introduces Genesis 27

THERE are some families whose miserable existence is almost entirely made up of malicious plottings and counter-plottings, little mischievous designs, and spiteful triumphs of one member or party in the family over the other. It is not pleasant to have the veil withdrawn, and to see that where love and eager self-sacrifice might be expected their places are occupied by an eager assertion of rights, and a cold, proud, and always petty and stupid, nursing of some supposed injury. In the story told us so graphically in this page, we see the family whom God has blessed sunk to this low level, and betrayed by family jealousies into unseemly strife on the most sacred ground. Each member of the family plans his own wicked device, and God by the evil of one defeats the evil of another, and saves His own purpose to bless the race from being frittered away and lost. And it is told us in order that, amidst all this mess of human craft and selfishness, the righteousness and stability of God’s word of promise may be more vividly seen.

In the Epistle to the Hebrews Isaac is commended for his faith in blessing his sons. It was commendable in him that, in great bodily weakness, he still believed himself to be the guardian of God’s blessing, and recognised that he had a great inheritance to bequeath to his sons. But, in unaccountable and inconsistent contempt of God’s expressed purpose, he proposes to hand over this blessing to Esau. Many things had occurred to fix his attention upon the fact that Esau was not to be his heir. Esau had sold his birthright, and had married Hittite women, and his whole conduct was, no doubt, of a piece with this, and showed that, in his hands, any spiritual inheritance would be both unsafe and unappreciated. That Isaac had some notion he was doing wrong in giving to Esau what belonged to God, and what God meant to give to Jacob, is shown from his precipitation in bestowing the blessing. He has no feeling that he is authorized by God, and therefore he cannot wait calmly till God should intimate, by unmistakable signs, that he is near his end; but, seized with a panic test his favourite should somehow be left unblessed, he feels, in his nervous alarm, as if he were at the point of death, and, though destined to live for forty-three years longer, he calls Esau that he may hand over to him his dying testament. How different is the nerve of a man when he knows he is doing God’s will, and when he is but fulfilling his own device. For the same reason, he has to stimulate his spirit by artificial means. The prophetic ecstasy is not felt by him; he must be exhilarated by venison and wine, that, strengthened and revived in body, and having his gratitude aroused afresh towards Esau, he may bless him with all the greater vigour. The final stimulus is given when he smells the garments of Esau on Jacob, and when that fresh earthy smell which so revives us in spring, as if our life were renewed with the year, and which hangs about one who has been in the open air, entered into Isaac’s blood, and lent him fresh vigour.

It is a strange and, in some respects, perplexing spectacle that is here presented to us-the organ of the Divine blessing represented by a blind old man, laid on a "couch of skins," stimulated by meat and wine, and trying to cheat God by bestowing the family blessing on the son of his own choice to the exclusion of the divinely-appointed heir. Out of such beginnings had God to educate a people worthy of Himself, and through such hazards had He to guide the spiritual blessing He designed to convey to us all.

Isaac laid a net for his own feet. By his unrighteous and timorous haste he secured the defeat of his own long-cherished scheme. It was his hasting to bless Esau which drove Rebekah to checkmate him by winning the blessing for her favourite. The shock which Isaac felt when Esau came in and the fraud was discovered is easily understood. The mortification of the old man must have been extreme when he found that he had so completely taken himself in. He was reclining in the satisfied reflection that for once he had overreached his astute Rebekah and her astute son, and in the comfortable feeling that, at last, he had accomplished his one remaining desire, when he learns from the exceeding bitter cry of Esau that he has himself been duped.

Had he wished to deny the validity of the blessing, he had ground enough for doing so. He had not really given it: it had been stolen from him. An act must be judged by its intention, and he had been far from intending to bless Jacob. Was he to consider himself bound by what he had done under a misapprehension? He had given a blessing to one person under the impression that he was a different person; must not the blessing go to him for whom it was designed? But Isaac unhesitatingly yielded.

[There was a sudden] clear recognition of God’s hand in the matter, and quick submission to Him, reveals a habit of reflection, and a spiritual thoughtfulness...Before he finished his answer to Esau, he felt he was a poor feeble creature in the hand of a true and just God, who had used even his infirmity and sin to forward righteous and gracious ends. It was his sudden recognition of the frightful way in which he had been tampering with God’s will, and of the grace with which God had prevented him from accomplishing a wrong destination of the inheritance, that made Isaac tremble very exceedingly.

Expositor’s Bible Commentary; Edited by the Rev. W. Robertson Nicoll; Ⓟ1887-1896; public domain; from e-sword, Genesis 27:1–40.

Some expositors came close to getting this.

Expositors on the Blessing Conveyed by Isaac

Kurtz: There is something peculiar and mysterious about the blessing and the curse of parents. Each word of blessing and of curse into which the whole strength and fulness of the psyche, the seat of personality and of will, descends, has a kind of magic power. It is the magic attaching to the image of God in man, imparted to him in creation, and which sin has only weakened and darkened, but not wholly effaced, as language is the royal sceptre of man. The blessing or the curse of parents approximates the creative power from which this magic at first originated. For, as generation is a representation of the Divine creative power, so is education and the ruling of children of the Divine governing and judging power, and so long as the world shall continue will this word of the ancient sage prove true: ‘The blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children; but the curse of the mother rooteth out foundations.’ Sir. 3:9. But the blessing of the patriarchs in the chosen family leads us beyond the sphere of nature to that of grace. In virtue of the covenant relation, which in this case pervades and determines every thing, the pneumatic power of the Divine counsel of salvation is here joined with the psychical power of a father’s blessing or curse. Human freedom is here allied with Divine necessity. Here man is not suffered to act arbitrarily, but the capability of the human will, now purified, is endowed with the strength of Divine Omnipotence; and thereby the blessing or the curse becomes irrevocable and unchangeable.

Kurtz’s comment was in Whedon’s commentary. As an aside, Whedon was the only person to place a quotation like this in his introductory material.

Leupold gives a fairly reasonable understanding of this chapter: This was a custom, apparently well established at this time, that godly men before their end bestowed their parting blessing upon their children. Such a blessing, had it been merely a pious wish of a pious man, would have had its worth and value. In it would have been concentrated the substance of all his prayers for his children. Any godly son would already on this score alone have valued such a blessing highly. However, the blessings of godly men, especially of the patriarchs, had another valuable element in them: they were prophetic in character. Before his end many a patriarch was taught by God’s Spirit to speak words of great moment, that indicated to a large extent the future destiny of the one blessed. In other words, the elements of benediction and prediction blended in the final, blessing. It appears from the brief nature of Isaac’s statement that this higher character of the blessing was so well understood as to require no explanation.

Cornfeld (AD, 81) writes: Ancient belief held that words spoken in blessing, or in curse on solemn occasions, were efficacious and had the power, as though by magic, to produce the intended result. The blessing of the father was binding, and when Isaac discovered the deceit he held his blessing to be effective, even though it had been granted under false pretences. . . . In patriarchal society, the effectiveness of the blessing was well understood. In Nuzu a man repeated in court the blessing his father had given him on his death-bed, willing him a wife. The terms of such a blessing were upheld by the Court. The Nuzu tablets recognized oral blessings and death-bed wills. Being much closer to that era, Cornfeld has a better understanding of it.

Preparing us for Genesis 27:

Isaac Blessing His Sons—Genesis 27:1–40 (by Daniel Whedon)

Thirty–six years have passed since Esau’s marriage, (Genesis 36:34,) and the twin brothers both remain in their father’s household at Beer–sheba. There seems no probability that the purchased birthright (Genesis 25:33) will be of any avail to Jacob, now seventy–seven years old and unmarried. Isaac has attained his one hundred and thirty–seventh year, the age at which his half–brother Ishmael died, (Genesis 25:17,) and perhaps that fact, together with a sense of old age and failing sight, impressed him with a feeling of approaching death, and a strong desire before his departure to bless his elder son. Unmindful of the prophecy, (Genesis 25:23,) and controlled by his partiality for Esau and love for the savoury game procured by his hunting, (Genesis 25:28,) he wilfully purposes to give the firstborn his dying benediction. But in all this he is strangely overruled by the power of God and the craftiness of Jacob and Rebekah.

Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments; Editor: Daniel D. Whedon, D.D. L.L.D.; Ⓟ1874–1909; from E-sword; Genesis 27 chapter comments.

Let’s sum up what we know first in order to prepare for this chapter.

The Immutable Facts of Genesis 27

1.      God knows the outcome and He has shared that with Rebekah (who, undoubtedly shared it with her husband). Gen. 25:21–23 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger." (ESV)

2.      All of this chapter is about words. It is all about the words that Isaac will speak near the end of his life (they all assume he is near death).

3.      There are 4 sin natures at work in this chapter, each one trying to work an advantage over the others. God’s plan will prevail.

4.      Despite being favored by his father, Esau has shown on many occasions that his spiritual heritage is not that important to him. He traded his birthright for a mess of pottage and he married Hittite women.

5.      Just in case we do not get God’s view on this matter, He states it again in Malachi 1:2–3 "I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert."

6.      After this chapter, we will hear nearly nothing about Isaac and Rebekah. We will not even hear about the death of Rebekah (which probably takes place while Jacob is in Haran).

Esau is one of the most fascinating characters of Genesis, and, even though I tried to give a full, contextual understanding of the people of this chapter and their motivations, I don’t think I have quite gotten to all the meat of Esau.

It is important to understand what has gone before.

The Prequel of Genesis 27

Isaac and Rebekah have twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob is holding the heel of Esau as Esau is born first, and God tells them that the elder (Esau) will serve the younger (Jacob). In the previous chapter, Esau came in from hunting, starved, and without any game. Isaac is making a lentil soup which Esau wants. Isaac tells Esau, “Give me your birthright, and I will give you soup.” Esau determines that a birthright is no good to him if he is dead from starvation, so he agrees.

The other thing that we know is, Esau has married at age 40, to two Hittite women, and that this grieves Rebekah in particular.

The line of promise is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God knows this from the beginning; and there were several signs along the way that was His plan. Furthermore, we have the clear statement of God to Rebekah (“The elder will serve the younger”).

Genesis 27 will begin with Isaac deciding that he is in his last days and he decides to privately bless Esau, his favorite son, for his end-of-life blessing. This usually takes place in public with all family members there.

We need to know who the people are who populate this chapter.

The Principals of Genesis 27

Characters

Commentary

Isaac

Isaac is now the patriarch, the oldest of his family, and the overseer of his great compound (his great wealth is rarely spoken of). Isaac believes that he is about to die, and so he wants to confer a blessing upon his eldest and favorite son.

Rebekah

Rebekah is Isaac’s daughter from the east, from Isaac’s relatives there, and her favorite son is Jacob. When she overhears that Isaac is sending out his son Esau to hunt and then to return with game and to be blessed, she arranges for her favorite son to take Esau’s place.

Esau

Esau and Jacob are twin sons who have been at odds with one another over their birthright and the blessing that their father will bring. Esau is his father’s son; he is a rugged, outdoors man. He is actually the firstborn (being twins, their births are separated by minutes).

Jacob

Jacob is his mother’s son and spent his time mostly in tents (as opposed to the great out of doors). It will become clear at this point that he needs to cut the apron strings as his mother has far too much influence over him. She will convince him, in this chapter, to pretend to be his brother Esau, in order to receive Isaac’s end-of-life blessing.

Isaac and Esau appear to set up a very private end-of-life blessing ceremony (which privacy is unusual), and it appears that this is done in opposition to the clear words of God concerning Jacob and Esau (“The elder will serve the younger”). The actions of Rebekah and Jacob, even though they appear to be in support of God’s will, do not appear to actually be motivated by God’s will. It appears more like Jacob is simply Rebekah’s favored son, and, therefore, she is going to do whatever it takes to make certain that he comes out ahead.

There are problems with the actions and motivations of every person in this chapter. Although God says, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated”; this expresses God’s sovereignty with regards to their genealogical lines—it is not a comparison of their relative morality as found in this chapter.

Morgan G. Campbell: At the beginning, four persons stand out: Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob, and not one of them is admirable.

Sometimes I offer up too much detail; and often a brief sketch suffices. This is mostly from the NIV Study Bible.

Jacob: A Thumbnail Sketch

His Name Means: “He grasps the heel” (Genesis 25:26). Possibly deceiver, supplanter.

Birth Data: He is born the second fraternal twin to Isaac and Rebekah, his hand grabbing Esau’s heel at birth.

Occupation: Shepherd, livestock owner, rancher, head of a large ranching/shepherding enterprise.

Best Known For:

•       He is enormously deceptive and manipulative. He manipulated his brother Esau into selling his birthright to him when Esau was in a very weak moment (he was on the verge of starvation). In this chapter, Jacob will take Esau’s blessing as well through deception.

•       God gives him the name Israel, which means He struggles with God (Genesis 32:22–30).

•       He will become the father of the 12 sons who became the patriarchs of Israel’s twelve tribes.

Mostly taken from The NIV Study Bible; ©1995 by The Zondervan Corporation; p. 46 (footnote). Edited and appended.

MacDonald

(N. Berkeley Bible)

Reese’s Chronology Bible

Bible Hub

Ages

Scripture

Event/Description

2234 b.c.

2097 b.c.

Genesis 11:24

Terah, Abram’s father, is born. Gen 11:24–26 Nahor lived 29 years and fathered Terah. After he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

1978 b.c.

Genesis 11:25

Death of Nahor, Abram’s uncle

1969 b.c.

Noah is 950

Genesis 9:28–29

Death of Noah

2164 b.c.

1967 b.c.

Genesis 11:26–27

Abraham (Terah’s son) and Lot (Haran’s son) born in Ur of the Chaldeans. Abram would be the 43^rd generation from Adam. Gen 11:26 Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

2078 b.c.

1881 b.c.

2080 b.c.

Abraham is 86

Gen. 16:15–16

Ishmael born to Abraham and Hagar in the land of Canaan. Gen 16:16 Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.

2064 b.c. (2066 b.c.)

2066 b.c.

Abraham is 100

Genesis 21:1–7 1Chronicles 1:34

Isaac born to Abraham. Isaac would be the 44^th generation from Adam. Gen 21:5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

1834 b.c.

1829 b.c. (Klassen)

2054 b.c.

Genesis 22:1–19

Abraham is told by God to go to the land of Moriah to offer up his son Isaac to God as a sacrifice. This was a 3-day journey away. They then go to Beer-sheba, which could simply indicate that they are returning home to Beer-sheba.

Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge puts this date at 1872 b.c., based upon Antiquities by Josephus.

(2029 b.c.)

1830 b.c.

2030 b.c.

Abraham is 137

Genesis 23:1–20

The death of Sarah. She dies in Kirjatharba, it is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Gen 23:1 Now Sarah lived 127 years; these were all the years of her life. She is buried in a cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre; it is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, purchased by Abraham from the sons of Heth.

(2026 b.c.)

Genesis 24:1–67 Genesis 25:20

Isaac (Abraham’s son) and Rebecca. Genesis 25:20 Isaac was 40 years old when he took as his wife Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramæan from Paddan-aram, and sister of Laban the Aramæan. At this time, Isaac is living in the Negev. It is likely that Abraham lived there as well; or near to there.

2026 b.c.

Isaac is 40

Genesis 25:20

Isaac marries Rebecca. Genesis 25:20

1826 b.c.

Genesis 25:1

Abraham marries Keturah. Smith puts the date at 1860 b.c.; and Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge at 1853 b.c.

Genesis 25:2–4 1Chronicles 1:32–33

Abraham’s fathers children by Keturah.

1817 b.c.

Shem is 600

Genesis 11:11

Death of Shem.

2004 b.c.

1807 b.c.

2006 b.c.

Abraham is 160; Isaac is 60

Genesis 25:19, 21–26

Jacob & Esau born to Isaac. Gen 25:26 After this, his brother came out grasping Esau's heel with his hand. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when they were born. Therefore, Abraham would be 160 years old.

(1991 b.c.)

Genesis 25:5–6

Isaac is the heir of all things that Abraham has (but, most importantly, of the covenant of God with Abraham).

1989 b.c.

1792 b.c.

1991 b.c.

Abraham is 175

Genesis 25:7–10

Abraham dies. Gen 25:7 This is the length of Abraham's life: 175 years. He is buried in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Nephron (this would be with Sarah).

Genesis 25:11

God blesses Isaac.

(1943 b.c.)

1788 b.c.

Genesis 25:17

The death of Ishmael. Gen 25:17 This is the length of Ishmael's life: 137 years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people.

Eber is 464

Genesis 11:17

Death of Eber.

1782 b.c.

1978 b.c.

Genesis 25:27–34

Jacob obtains Esau’s birthright for a mess of pottage.

1782 b.c.

1740 b.c. (Klassen)

Genesis 26:1–5

A famine in the land; God renews covenant with Isaac at Gerar.

Genesis 26:6–10

Rebecca and Isaac in Gerar.

Genesis 26:11–16

Isaac is blessed by God in Gerar.

1782 b.c.

1735 b.c. (Klassen)

Genesis 26:17–22

Strife between Isaac and Philistines in and near Gerar.

1767 b.c.

Genesis 26:34–35

Esau marries two Canaanite women.

1757–

1739 b.c.

1733 b.c.

(Klassen)

Genesis 26:23–25

Isaac makes an altar in Beer-sheba.

(1943 b.c.)

1744 b.c.

Ishmael is 137

Genesis 25:17–18

The death of Ishmael.

1738 b.c.

c 1732 b.c.

(Klassen)

1977 b.c.

Genesis 26:26–33

Isaac’s alliance with Abimelech at Beersheba.

(1929 b.c.)

1737 b.c.

1730 b.c. (Klassen)

1929 b.c.

Genesis 27:1–46

Jacob by deception receives a final blessing from Isaac that was meant for Esau.

Genesis 28:1–5

Jacob goes to his Uncle Laban’s home in Padan-aram for a wife.

1928 b.c.

Genesis 28:10–22

Jacob’s dream; God speaks to Jacob.

Bibliography

MacDonald’s timeline is from: http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/qna63.htm accessed October 11, 2011.

The Bible Hub timeline (accessed January 11, 2015) appears to be pretty thorough, but no one specifically is credited.

See http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/qna63dating.htm for his justification of his timeline.

From: http://www.christianshepherd.org/bible_study_guides/abram_to_the_exodus.pdf (Christian shepherd)

The Reese Chronological Bible; KJV translation; Editor: Edward Reese; ©1977 by Edward Reese and Klassen’s dating system ©1975 by Frank R. Klassen; Ⓟ1980 by Bethany House Publishers, South Minneapolis, MN; pp. 18–19, 54–74.

The Modern Language Bible (The New Berkeley Version), Revised Edition; ©1969 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.; pp. 1–28.

It is good to stand back and get an overall view of what lies ahead.

Legend:

Probably written by Isaac

Probably written by Jacob

Probably written by Joseph

Big Picture—Jacob’s Life

I.Jacob’s life in Canaan. Genesis 25:20–28:22

A.His birth. Genesis 25:20–26

B.His youth; favoritism of parents. Genesis 25:27–28

C.Jacob trades for Esau’s birthright. Genesis 25:29–34

D.Jacob deceives his father Isaac to obtain the end-of-life blessing meant for Esau. Genesis 27:1–45

E.Isaac blesses Jacob before he leaves Canaan to find a wife in Haran. Genesis 28:1–5

F.Jacob’s dream in Bethel on his way to Haran. Genesis 28:10–22

II.Jacob’s life in Haran. Genesis 29:1–31:24

A.Jacob meets the family of Laban and falls in love with Rachel, his daughter. Genesis 29:1–14

B.Jacob agrees to work 7 years for Laban’s daughter. Genesis 29:15–20

C.Laban deceives the deceiver Jacob, and gives him the other daughter. Genesis 29:21–26

D.Jacob agrees to work another 7 years to marry Rachel. Genesis 29:27–30

E.Jacob continues to work for Laban and builds up his family. Genesis 29:31–30:24

F.Jacob asks Laban to allow him to return to Canaan with his new family; Laban increases his wages in order to get him to remain. Genesis 30:25–43

G.Jacob finally steals away from Laban, having been cheated on his wages many times. Laban realizes that Jacob is gone and pursues him. Genesis 31:1–24

III.Jacob’s life back in Canaan. Genesis 31:25–45:25

A.Laban catches up to Jacob just east of the Jordan and they settle up their differences. They come to a mutual agreement. Genesis 31:25–55

B.Jacob is first met by the Angels of God, he prepares to meet his brother Esau, and he wrestles with God. Genesis 32:1–32

C.Jacob has a congenial meeting with Esau, but instead of following Esau to his home, goes a different way. Genesis 33:1–17a

D.Jacob and his sons in the land. Genesis 33:17–35:15

E.Jacob’s 12^th son; the death of Rachel, and the death of Isaac. Genesis 35:16–29

F.Jacob displays favoritism; his sons resent Joseph; Joseph is sold into slavery; Jacob is told that Joseph has been killed. Genesis 37:1–36

G.There is a famine throughout the Middle East, and Jacob must twice send his sons to Egypt for grain. Genesis 42:1–45:25

IV.Jacob in Egypt. Genesis 45:26–49:33

A.Jacob finds out that his son Joseph is still alive. Genesis 45:26–28

B.Jacob travels to Egypt, God speaking to him along the way. Genesis 46:1–6a

C.Jacob and all of his sons in Egypt. Genesis 46:6b–47:27

D.Jacob realizes that death will soon be upon him. Genesis 47:28–31

E.The blessings delivered by Jacob to Joseph prior to his death. Genesis 48:1–22

F.The blessings delivered by Jacob to his other sons prior to his death. Genesis 49:1–28

G.Jacob’s end-of-life requests and his death. Significantly, he wants to eventually be buried in the Land of Promise. Genesis 49:29–33 50:13

Arno Gaebelein mentioned the 3 phases of Jacob’s life, so I expanded upon this, and included the 4^th and most important phase, his life in Egypt. In Egypt, Jacob recognizes that God has given him the land of Canaan, and therefore wants to be buried in the Land of Promise (Genesis 49:29–32 50:13).

It has just occurred to me that Israel the man might represent Israel the nation. He was given the land; but because of his bad behavior, he had to leave the land of promise. He returns to the land only to be expelled once again. His bones will be returned to the land, representative of the resurrection of Israel in the Tribulation and Millennium.

I have not yet replaced this with my own setup.

Genesis 27 by the Summarized Bible

Contents:           Fraudulent methods of Jacob in getting Isaac’s blessing. Remorse of Esau.

Characters:        Isaac, Esau, Jacob, Rebekah.

Conclusion:       Human nature in prone to scheme to bring about what God would do without any scheming. He does not need our cunning or deceit to accomplish His purpose. Seek spiritual blessings in the right way or get with them years of sorrow afterward.

Key Word:          Supplanter, Genesis 27:36.

Strong Verses:  Genesis 27:28, Genesis 27:29, Genesis 27:33.

Striking Facts:   One only needs to read the history of Jacob to learn that it does not pay to take things into one’s own hands. The more pressing the temptation to take things out of His hands, the richer will be the blessing of remaining in His hands and awaiting His time.

Keith L. Brooks, Summarized Bible; Complete Summary of the Bible; ©1919; from e-Sword, Genesis 27 chapter comments.

Here is what to expect from Genesis 27:

A Synopsis of Genesis 27 (from Adam Clarke)

Isaac, grown old and feeble, and apprehending the approach of death, desires his son Esau to provide some savory meat for him, that having eaten of it he might convey to him the blessing connected with the right of primogeniture, Genesis 27:1–4. Rebekah hearing of it, relates the matter to Jacob, and directs him how to impersonate his brother, and by deceiving his father, obtain the blessing, Genesis 27:5–10.

Jacob hesitates, Genesis 27:11, Genesis 27:12; but being counseled and encouraged by his mother, he at last consents to use the means she prescribes, Genesis 27:13, Genesis 27:14. Rebekah disguises Jacob, and sends him to impersonate his brother, Genesis 27:15–17.

Jacob comes to his father, and professes himself to be Esau, Genesis 27:18, Genesis 27:19. Isaac doubts, questions, and examines him closely, but does not discover the deception, Genesis 27:20–24. He eats of the savory meat, and confers the blessing upon Jacob, Genesis 27:25–27.

In what the blessing consisted, Genesis 27:28, Genesis 27:29. Esau arrives from the field with the meat he had gone to provide, and presents himself before his father, Genesis 27:30, Genesis 27:31. Isaac discovers the fraud of Jacob, and is much affected, Genesis 27:32, Genesis 27:33. Esau is greatly distressed on hearing that the blessing had been received by another, Genesis 27:34. Isaac accuses Jacob of deceit, Genesis 27:35. Esau expostulates, and prays for a blessing, Genesis 27:36. Isaac describes the blessing which he has already conveyed, Genesis 27:37. Esau weeps, and earnestly implores a blessing, Genesis 27:38. 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, Genesis 27:39, Genesis 27:40.

Esau purposes to kill his brother, Genesis 27:41. Rebekah hears of it, and counsels Jacob to take refuge with her brother Laban in Padanaram, Genesis 27:42–45. She professes to be greatly alarmed, lest Jacob should take any of the Canaanites to wife, Genesis 27:41.

Like all chapters of the Word of God, you need more than just the simple plot outline to understand what God wants us to know.

Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible; from e-Sword, Genesis 27 chapter comments.

These divisions are not that different from outline to outline.

Matthew Henry’s Outline of Genesis 27

I.      Isaac's purpose to entail the blessing upon Esau (Genesis 27:1–5).

II.     Rebekah's plot to procure it for Jacob (Genesis 27:6–17).

III.    Jacob's successful management of the plot, and his obtaining the blessing (Genesis 27:18–29).

IV.    Esau's resentment of this, in which,

         1.     His great importunity with his father to obtain a blessing (Genesis 27:30–40).

         2.     His great enmity to his brother for defrauding him of the first blessing (Genesis 27:41, etc.).

Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible; from e-Sword, Genesis 27 chapter comments.

All of these relate to the blessing and the plan to thwart Isaac’s plan.

J. Ligon Duncan Divides Up Genesis 27:1–29

The passage you see breaks into four parts. In verses 1 through 4 we see Isaac's plan to bless Esau. In verses 5 through 13 we see Rebekah's plans to see that Jacob is blessed. In verses 14 through 25, we see Jacob carrying out Rebekah's plan. And then in verses 26 through 29 we see the fruition of the oracle that God had given at the birth of Jacob; that he would indeed be the one who would carry the covenant line as the head of the household.

I.       Isaac's plan to thwart God's will.

II.      Rebekah's plan to usurp Isaac's authority.

III.     Jacob's part of the plan to defraud his father.

IV.     The triumph of God's sovereignty.

From http://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/the-life-of-jacob-1-a-blessing-stolen accessed August 6, 2016.