When first reading this Scripture without any knowledge of Jacob’s motives, one might suspect the following conclusion: Isaac wanted Esau to have the blessing because he was not only the

The passage starts out with Isaac being old and his eyes too dim to see. Isaac, the man of taste and touch (26:8) is deprived of sight in his old age. As the act of deceit takes place, Isaac relies on his sense of taste, touch, and smell, but he completely ignored the evidence of sound to identify Esau. The author suggests that the blessing that Isaac is offering to Esau is construed to mean “absolute blessing,” or “ solemnly blessed.” This interpretation is based on that of the Hebrew, which literally says, “my life-breath may bless you.” (Altrer137)

“ So now, my son, listen to my voice, to what I command you. Go, pray, to the flock, and fetch me from there two choice kids that I may make them into a dish for your father of the kind he loves. And you shall bring it to your father an he shall eat, so that he bless you before he dies.” (Genesis 27.8)

Spieser attempts to make the point Jacob uses. The crucial term “first born” is key in this story. The narrator carefully avoids identifying Esau as firstborn. He instead refers to Esau as the “elder son.” However, Esau uses the term “firstborn” again when he returns from his hunt. Jacob also uses the term firstborn to make his claim of being Esau easier. During this same passage it says, “ But he did not recognize him for his hands were, like Esau’s hands, hairy, and he blessed him. (Alter 140) This crucial verb of recognition will return to Jacob when he is deceived by his sons and then will also play through Judah and Tamar.

firstborn, but also his favorite. In order for Jacob to be obedient to his mother, and win the blessing of his father, he tricked him into believing that he was Esau. He wanted to receive the blessing so that he could prove that he was capable of completing all of his brother’s tasks. However, this is not what is going on at all in this passage. Even when the twins were in the womb of their mother Rebekah, they clashed (Genesis 25 23-24). When Rebekah asked the Lord why, he replied, “Two nations are in your womb, and two people of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger” (Collins 38). This suggests that the future of Esau and Jacob was foretold before they were even born. At birth, Esau came out red with his body hair like a mantle (Alter 127). This description of Esau at birth is symbolic. Red was Hebrew for Edom, which was Esau’s other name. He was also described as being hairy like a mantle, which in Hebrew meant “Seir,” the place Esau settled. Jacob on the other hand was born gripping the heel of his brother. It was only logical that his parents named him Jacob, which means “heel” in Hebrew.

As the scheme unfolds, Isaac knowingly asks, “Who is it, then, who caught game and brought it to me and I ate everything before you came and blessed him (Alter 142)?” Alter suggests that Isaac pretends not to know who it was that deceived him, finding it easier to let Esau name the suspect himself. Isaac must have known instantly whom it was that took the blessing because he already had his doubts when the voice of his son sounded like Jacob. Esau cried out to his father in a child-like manner for him to bless him also, for he knew that the blessing that his father gave to his brother was irreversible. Esau was clearly defeated. Once approaching his father with poise and confidence, he was now broken down in agony and defeat. He says to his father, “ Was h

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