Text -- Genesis 27:1-8 (NET)

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing

27:1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau replied. 27:2 Isaac said, “Since I am so old, I could die at any time. 27:3 Therefore, take your weapons– your quiver and your bow– and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game for me. 27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then I will eat it so that I may bless you before I die.” 27:5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back, 27:6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 27:7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before I die.’ 27:8 Now then, my son, do exactly what I tell you!

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Gen 27:1

¹ tn The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.

² tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”

³ tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).

⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: Gen 27:2

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.

³ tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”

NET Notes: Gen 27:3

¹ tn The Hebrew word is to be spelled either צַיִד (tsayid) following the marginal reading (Qere), or צֵידָה (tsedah) following the consonantal text (Kethib). Either way it is from the same root as the imperative צוּדָה (tsudah, “hunt down”).

NET Notes: Gen 27:4

¹ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

² tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The use of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as the subject emphasizes that the blessing will be made with all Isaac’s desire and vitality. The conjunction “so that” closely relates the meal to the blessing, suggesting that this will be a ritual meal in conjunction with the giving of a formal blessing.

NET Notes: Gen 27:5

¹ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a conjunction with the subject, followed by the predicate) here introduces a new scene in the story.

² tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.

NET Notes: Gen 27:7

¹ tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.

² tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.

³ tn In her report to Jacob, Rebekah plays down Isaac’s strong desire to bless Esau by leaving out נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”), but by adding the phrase “in the presence of the Lord,” she stresses how serious this matter is.

NET Notes: Gen 27:8

¹ tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”

² tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”