Genesis Chapter 27 — Jacob Receives Isaac’s Blessing
Introduction
Genesis 27 records one of the most complicated family events in the life of Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac is old, his eyesight has grown dim, and he believes the time has come to pronounce a blessing upon his eldest son, Esau. However, Rebekah overhears Isaac's instructions and devises a plan by which Jacob will receive the blessing instead.
This chapter contains favoritism, secrecy, deception, family division, and painful consequences. Yet behind the failures of this family stands the sovereign purpose of God.
Before Jacob and Esau were born, the LORD had already spoken concerning them:
Genesis 25:23 (KJV)
"And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger."
Therefore, Genesis 27 should not be understood as though Jacob's deception created God's purpose. God's declaration preceded the actions of Jacob and Rebekah.
The difficulty is that Rebekah and Jacob attempted to secure through human manipulation what God had already declared according to His own purpose.
Genesis 27 teaches us an important lesson: God's promises do not require sinful methods to bring them to pass.
Historical and Biblical Background
Isaac was the promised son of Abraham and Sarah and the covenant heir through whom God's promises to Abraham continued.
Isaac married Rebekah, and after years of barrenness the LORD answered Isaac's prayer and Rebekah conceived twins.
Even before their birth, conflict existed between the children.
Esau was born first, followed by Jacob, who came forth holding Esau's heel.
As they grew, their differences became increasingly evident.
Genesis 25:27–28 (KJV)
"And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob."
This favoritism created an unhealthy division within the household.
Isaac favored Esau.
Rebekah favored Jacob.
The division between the parents contributed to the conflict between their sons.
Earlier, Esau had also sold his birthright to Jacob for bread and pottage (Genesis 25:29–34). Scripture concludes that Esau "despised his birthright."
By Genesis 27, the issue is no longer merely the birthright but Isaac's patriarchal blessing.
Isaac Prepares to Bless Esau
Genesis 27:1–4
Isaac had grown old, and his eyesight had become so poor that he could no longer see clearly. He called Esau and instructed him to hunt game and prepare the savory meat that he loved.
Afterward Isaac intended to bless him.
Isaac said:
Genesis 27:4 (KJV)
"And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die."
This blessing was not merely a father's expression of affection. Within the patriarchal family it carried significance concerning inheritance, authority, family destiny, and the continuation of covenant promises.
Yet there is an important tension here.
God had already declared that "the elder shall serve the younger."
Isaac nevertheless intended to pronounce the primary blessing upon Esau.
Scripture does not explicitly tell us everything Isaac was thinking. Therefore, we should be careful not to claim motives the text does not reveal. What we can see is that Isaac's intended blessing of Esau stood in tension with the divine declaration given before the twins were born.
Rebekah Overhears Isaac
Genesis 27:5–10
Rebekah heard Isaac speaking to Esau.
Rather than waiting upon God, she immediately developed a plan.
She instructed Jacob to bring two young goats from the flock. She would prepare the meat exactly as Isaac liked it, and Jacob would take it to his father pretending to be Esau.
Rebekah was attempting to obtain something God had already declared concerning Jacob—but she attempted to accomplish it through deception.
This distinction is important.
The promise was God's.
The deception was theirs.
God's sovereignty does not turn deception into righteousness.
Jacob's Concern
Genesis 27:11–12
Jacob immediately recognized a problem.
Esau was hairy, while Jacob had smooth skin.
Jacob feared that his father would touch him and discover the deception.
His concern appears focused primarily upon being discovered:
Genesis 27:12 (KJV)
"My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing."
This presents an important spiritual lesson.
There is a difference between asking:
"Is this wrong?"
and asking:
"What will happen if I get caught?"
Biblical integrity requires obedience even when no human being would discover what we have done.
Rebekah Takes Responsibility
Genesis 27:13
Rebekah responded:
"Upon me be thy curse, my son..."
She was determined that Jacob receive the blessing.
She prepared the food, dressed Jacob in Esau's clothing, and placed goatskins upon Jacob's hands and neck so that he would feel hairy like Esau.
The deception became increasingly elaborate.
One compromise required another.
That is frequently the progression of deception. Once the truth is abandoned, additional deception may become necessary to maintain the first falsehood.
Jacob Deceives Isaac
Genesis 27:18–24
Jacob entered his father's presence.
Isaac asked:
"Who art thou, my son?"
Jacob answered:
Genesis 27:19 (KJV)
"I am Esau thy firstborn..."
Jacob was not merely allowing Isaac to misunderstand him. He directly identified himself as Esau.
Isaac became suspicious because Jacob returned from the hunt unusually quickly.
Jacob then said:
"Because the LORD thy God brought it to me."
The deception had now reached another level: Jacob invoked God while lying to his father.
Isaac recognized Jacob's voice:
Genesis 27:22 (KJV)
"The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
Isaac's senses gave him conflicting evidence.
The voice suggested Jacob.
The hands suggested Esau.
The clothing smelled like Esau.
Finally Isaac asked again:
"Art thou my very son Esau?"
Jacob answered:
"I am."
Isaac Blesses Jacob
Genesis 27:26–29
Isaac then pronounced the blessing.
He blessed Jacob with the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, abundance, authority over peoples and nations, and supremacy among his brethren.
Then came words closely connected with the Abrahamic covenant:
Genesis 27:29 (KJV)
"Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee."
Compare this with God's promise to Abraham:
Genesis 12:3 (KJV)
"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee..."
The covenant line was continuing through Jacob.
Yet Jacob received this blessing under circumstances filled with human deception and family dysfunction.
God's purpose remained sovereign, but Jacob and Rebekah would still experience consequences for their actions.
Esau Returns
Genesis 27:30–33
Almost immediately after Jacob departed, Esau returned.
He prepared the food and brought it to Isaac.
Isaac was stunned.
"Who art thou?"
Esau answered:
"I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau."
Isaac realized what had happened.
Scripture says:
Genesis 27:33 (KJV)
"And Isaac trembled very exceedingly..."
Yet Isaac did not revoke Jacob's blessing.
He declared:
"Yea, and he shall be blessed."
Hebrews later comments on this event:
Hebrews 11:20 (KJV)
"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come."
Esau's Bitter Cry
Genesis 27:34–38
When Esau heard what had happened, he cried:
"Bless me, even me also, O my father."
This is one of the most emotional scenes in Genesis.
Esau had previously treated his birthright lightly. Now he desperately desired the blessing.
Hebrews uses Esau as a warning:
Hebrews 12:16–17 (KJV)
"Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected..."
The lesson is serious: do not treat spiritual privileges as though they have little value.
Some decisions carry consequences that cannot simply be reversed when we later regret them.
Esau Hates Jacob
Genesis 27:41
Esau's sorrow became anger.
"And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him..."
He determined that after Isaac died, he would kill Jacob.
The deception that was supposed to secure Jacob's future now endangered his life.
Jacob received the blessing—but he lost the peace of his home.
He would leave his father.
He would leave his mother.
He would flee from Esau.
And Rebekah, who wanted to protect Jacob's future, would send her beloved son away.
Sin often produces consequences far beyond the immediate moment.
Rebekah Sends Jacob Away
Genesis 27:42–46
When Rebekah learned of Esau's intentions, she instructed Jacob to flee to her brother Laban in Haran.
She expected Jacob to remain there only:
"a few days."
But those few days became many years.
Jacob would enter another household where he himself would experience deception.
The deceiver would encounter another deceiver.
Laban would deceive Jacob concerning Leah and Rachel, wages, and livestock.
Jacob's life demonstrates that God's grace does not mean our choices are without consequences.
Key Observations from Genesis 27
1. God's purpose existed before human manipulation.
God had already declared that the elder would serve the younger. Jacob did not have to manufacture God's promise.
2. Favoritism damages families.
Isaac favored Esau while Rebekah favored Jacob. Their divided loyalties contributed to secrecy and conflict.
3. Spiritual promises should never be pursued through sinful methods.
A right objective does not justify a wrong method.
4. Deception grows.
Jacob's deception progressed from disguise, to false identity, to false testimony, and finally to invoking God's name within the deception.
5. Esau treated spiritual privilege lightly.
He despised his birthright and later deeply regretted what he had lost.
6. Sin affects relationships.
The deception fractured the family and produced anger, fear, separation, and exile.
7. God's sovereignty is greater than human failure.
The failures of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau did not overthrow God's covenant purpose.
8. God's grace does not eliminate consequences.
Jacob remained the covenant heir, but his actions brought painful consequences into his life.
Personal Application
Genesis 27 causes us to examine how we respond when we believe God has promised something.
Sometimes we become impatient because we cannot see how God will accomplish what He has spoken. The temptation is to manipulate circumstances, people, or situations in order to produce the outcome ourselves.
But faith waits upon God.
If God has spoken according to His Word, we do not need deception to help Him fulfill His purpose.
This chapter also challenges us to examine favoritism within our relationships. Parents, teachers, ministry leaders, and families must be careful not to create unhealthy divisions through partiality.
We should also learn from Esau.
Never exchange something spiritually valuable for temporary satisfaction.
Esau surrendered something precious because he was focused upon an immediate appetite.
Ask yourself:
What am I valuing most—what satisfies me now, or what has eternal significance?
Finally, Genesis 27 reminds us that imperfect people cannot frustrate God's redemptive plan. Jacob had serious character weaknesses, but God continued working in his life. In the chapters ahead, Jacob himself would be changed through years of testing, discipline, encounters with God, and difficult circumstances.
God was not merely concerned with giving Jacob a blessing.
God was working on Jacob himself.
Reflection Questions
What had God already declared concerning Jacob and Esau before they were born?
How did Isaac and Rebekah's favoritism affect their family?
Why did Rebekah believe she needed to intervene?
What was wrong with Jacob and Rebekah's method even though Jacob was the one through whom God's covenant purpose would continue?
How did Jacob's deception become progressively more serious?
What does Esau teach us about valuing spiritual privileges?
What consequences followed Jacob's deception?
Have I ever tried to force something that I should have entrusted to God?
Is there an area where impatience is tempting me to manipulate circumstances rather than wait upon the LORD?
What does Genesis 27 teach me about God's sovereignty despite human weakness?
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the truth of Thy Word. Teach me to trust Thy wisdom, Thy timing, and Thy purposes for my life.
Keep me from attempting to accomplish through human manipulation what can only be accomplished according to Thy will. Give me patience to wait upon Thee and faith to believe that what Thou hast purposed does not require deception or compromise.
Search my heart for favoritism, jealousy, selfish ambition, dishonesty, or impatience. Help me to walk uprightly before Thee and before others.
Teach me also to value the spiritual blessings Thou hast given me. May I never exchange something of eternal worth for temporary satisfaction.
Where I have made wrong decisions, give me wisdom to repent, receive Thy correction, and walk forward in obedience.
Thank You that human weakness cannot overthrow Thy sovereign purpose. Continue shaping my character so that I desire not only Thy blessings, but also to become the person Thou hast called me to be.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
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