Friday, July 24, 2015

Genesis chapter 27

After reading chapter 27:

*Isaac was getting old and growing blind. He wanted to settle his estate. So, he called his favorite son Esau and asked him to go hunt and cook some wild game for him, just the way he liked it. Then he would give Esau the all important blessing. Rebekah was listening and told Jacob all about it. She suggested they trick Isaac into thinking Jacob was Esau, so he could get the blessing instead. Jacob didn't want to be caught impersonating his brother and get a curse instead of a blessing. Rebekah said if that happened, the curse would fall on her. (More likely, being a smart woman, she knew that curses had no power.)

*So, Jacob and Rebekah prepared some meat. Jacob dressed up in Esau's clothes and tied goat skins on his body to make himself hairy like Esau. Jacob manages to convince Isaac he is Esau, even though he is a little unsure. All that rich, goaty smell finally convinced him. He blesses Jacob. Not only that, he says Jacob, who he thinks is Esau, will be lord over his brothers, too.

*As soon as Jacob leaves, Esau enters and tries to receive the blessing. Isaac figures out what happened and is very upset, because once those words are out of your mouth you can't take them back. Esau is understandably upset and begs for any blessing left over. What's left is pretty pitiful, because there is a magical blessing meter that measures how how many blessings can be given by one person. Apparently Isaac's blessing meant Jacob will be well fed, protected from curses, and have power over others. Esau will lose the outdoor life he loves, live by the sword, and will serve his brother, all because of some words spoken by a feeble old man.

*After Jacob and his mother tricked Isaac and Esau, Rebekah wanted Jacob to go to her brother Laban because she was afraid Esau would kill him. To accomplish this task, she manipulated Isaac by telling him Hittite women were disgusting and she did not want Jacob to marry one.

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