the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Genesis 27:12
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Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing."
Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver. And I shall bring a curse on me, and not a blessing.
If my father touches me, he will know I am not Esau. Then he will not bless me but will place a curse on me because I tried to trick him."
My father may touch me! Then he'll think I'm mocking him and I'll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing."
My father perhaps will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing."
"Suppose my father touches me and feels my skin; then I will be seen by him as a cheat (imposter), and I will bring his curse on me and not a blessing."
Y drede lest he gesse that Y wolde scorne him, and lest he brynge in cursyng on me for blessyng.
it may be my father doth feel me, and I have been in his eyes as a deceiver, and have brought upon me disesteem, and not a blessing;'
What if my father touches me? Then I would be revealed to him as a deceiver, and I would bring upon myself a curse rather than a blessing."
If my father touches me and realizes I am trying to trick him, he will put a curse on me instead of giving me a blessing."
Suppose my father touches me — he'll know I'm trying to trick him, and I'll bring a curse on myself, not a blessing!"
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.
If by chance my father puts his hand on me, it will seem to him that I am tricking him, and he will put a curse on me in place of a blessing.
My father shall peraduenture feele mee, and I shall seeme vnto hym as though I went about to begyle hym, and so shall I bryng a curse vpon me, and not a blessyng.
My father perhaps will feel me, and I shall be in his sight as one who mocks [him], and I shall bring a curse on me, and not a blessing.
My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a mocker; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.'
My father peraduenture will feele me, and I shall seeme to him as a deceiuer, and I shall bring a curse vpon me, and not a blessing.
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.
If my father touches me, he will think of me as one trying to fool him. Then he will bring a curse upon me instead of good."
Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse on myself and not a blessing."
peradventure my father might feel me, then should I be in his eyes as one that mocketh, - and should bring upon myself a reproach, and not a blessing!
My father may possibly feele me, and I shal seem to him to be a mocker: so shall I bring a curse vpon me, and not a blessing.
Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a mocker; and I Shall bring a curse upon myself, and not a blessing.
Perhaps my father will touch me and find out that I am deceiving him; in this way, I will bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing."
If my father should feel me, and perceive it, I fear lest he will think I would have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing.
Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing."
Peradventure my father may feel me, and I shall be before him as one ill-intentioned, and I shall bring upon me a curse, and not a blessing.
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.
Suppose my father touches me. Then I will be revealed to him as a deceiver and bring a curse rather than a blessing on myself.”
What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing."
Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes as a mocker, and he will bring upon me a curse and not a blessing."
Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall be like a deceiver in his eyes, and I shall bring a curse on me, and not blessing.
then might my father peraduenture fele me, and I shulde seme vnto him as though I begyled him, and so brynge a curse vpon me and not a blessynge.
"Perhaps my father will touch me, then I will be like a deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing."
Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing."
What if my father touches me? He'll see that I'm trying to trick him, and then he'll curse me instead of blessing me."
"Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing."
Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a mocker in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing."
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
feel: Genesis 27:22, Job 12:16, 2 Corinthians 6:8
a deceiver: Genesis 27:36, Genesis 25:27, 1 Thessalonians 5:22
and I shall: Genesis 9:25, Deuteronomy 27:18, Jeremiah 48:10, Malachi 1:14
Reciprocal: Genesis 27:21 - may feel 2 Chronicles 22:3 - his counsellor
Cross-References
he said, "May there be a curse on Canaan! May he be a slave to his brothers."
The boys grew up. Esau became a skilled hunter, who loved to be out in the fields. But Jacob was a quiet man, who stayed at home.
Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near to me so that I can feel you, my son. If I can feel you, I will know if you are really my son Esau."
So Jacob went to Isaac his father. Isaac felt him and said, "Your voice sounds like Jacob's voice, but your arms are hairy like the arms of Esau."
Esau said, "His name is Jacob. That is the right name for him. He has tricked me twice. He took away my rights as the firstborn son. And now he has taken away my blessing." Then Esau said, "Have you saved any blessing for me?"
"The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who tricks a blind man into going the wrong way!' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
God is strong and always wins. He controls those who fool others and those who are fooled.
Bad things will happen to those who don't obey the Lord and don't use their swords to kill those people.
"Some people have good, male animals that they could give as sacrifices, but don't. Some people bring good animals and promise to give those healthy animals to me. But then they secretly exchange those good animals and give me sick animals instead. Bad things will happen to those people. I am the Great King and people all around the world respect me!" This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
Some people honor us, but others shame us. Some people say good things about us, but others say bad things. Some people say we are liars, but we speak the truth.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
My father peradventure will feel me,.... For, though he could not see him, and so discern whether he had any hair or no on him, yet, suspecting him by his voice, he might call him to him to feel him, as he did; for Jacob understood his mother right, that he was to represent his brother Esau in the transaction of this affair:
and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; one that imposes upon another and causes him to err, leads him to say or do wrong things: and not only appear as one, but be really one, and even a very great one, as the doubling of the radical letters in the word shows; yea, the worst of deceivers, a deceiver of a parent, of one that was both aged and blind:
and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing; and he might justly fear, that should he be found out, it would so provoke his father, that instead of blessing him, he would curse him, see
Deuteronomy 27:18.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- Isaac Blessing His Sons
The life of Isaac falls into three periods. During the first seventy-five years he is contemporary with his father. For sixty-one years more his son Jacob remains under the paternal roof. The remaining forty-four years are passed in the retirement of old age. The chapter before us narrates the last solemn acts of the middle period of his life.
Genesis 27:1-4
Isaac was old. - Joseph was in his thirtieth year when he stood before Pharaoh, and therefore thirty-nine when Jacob came down to Egypt at the age of one hundred and thirty. When Joseph was born, therefore, Jacob was ninety-one, and he had sojourned fourteen years in Padan-aram. Hence, Jacobâs flight to Laban took place when he was seventy-seven, and therefore in the one hundred and thirty-sixth year of Isaac. âHis eyes were dim.â Weakness and even loss of sight is more frequent in Palestine than with us. âHis older son.â Isaac had not yet come to the conclusion that Jacob was heir of the promise. The communication from the Lord to Rebekah concerning her yet unborn sons in the form in which it is handed down to us merely determines that the older shall serve the younger. This fact Isaac seems to have thought might not imply the transferrence of the birthright; and if he was aware of the transaction between Esau and Jacob, he may not have regarded it as valid. Hence, he makes arrangements for bestowing the paternal benediction on Esau, his older son, whom he also loves. âI am old.â At the age of one hundred and thirty-six, and with failing sight, he felt that life was uncertain. In the calmness of determination he directs Esau to prepare savory meat, such as he loved, that he may have his vigor renewed and his spirits revived for the solemn business of bestowing that blessing, which he held to be fraught with more than ordinary benefits.
Genesis 27:5-13
Rebekah forms a plan for diverting the blessing from Esau to Jacob. She was within hearing when the infirm Isaac gave his orders, and communicates the news to Jacob. Rebekah has no scruples about primogeniture. Her feelings prompt her to take measures, without waiting to consider whether they are justifiable or not, for securing to Jacob that blessing which she has settled in her own mind to be destined for him. She thinks it necessary to interfere that this end may not fail of being accomplished. Jacob views the matter more coolly, and starts a difficulty. He may be found out to be a deceiver, and bring his fatherâs curse upon him. Rebekah, anticipating no such issue; undertakes to bear the curse that she conceived would never come. Only let him obey.
Verse 14-29
The plan is successful. Jacob now, without further objection, obeys his mother. She clothes him in Esauâs raiment, and puts the skins of the kids on his hands and his neck. The camel-goat affords a hair which bears a great resemblance to that of natural growth, and is used as a substitute for it. Now begins the strange interview between the father and the son. âWho art thou, my son?â The voice of Jacob was somewhat constrained. He goes, however, deliberately through the process of deceiving his father. âArise, now, sit and eat.â Isaac was reclining on his couch, in the feebleness of advancing years. Sitting was the posture convenient for eating. âThe Lord thy God prospered me.â This is the bold reply to Isaacâs expression of surprise at the haste with which the dainty fare had been prepared. The bewildered father now puts Jacob to a severer test. He feels him, but discerns him not. The ear notes a difference, but the hand feels the hairy skin resembling Esauâs; the eyes give no testimony. After this the result is summarily stated in a single sentence, though the particulars are yet to be given. âArt thou my very son Esau?â A lurking doubt puts the definite question, and receives a decisive answer. Isaac then calls for the repast and partakes.
Genesis 27:26-29
He gives the kiss of paternal affection, and pronounces the benediction. It contains, first, a fertile soil. âOf the dew of heaven.â An abundant measure of this was especially precious in a country where the rain is confined to two seasons of the year. âOf the fatness of the earth;â a proportion of this to match and render available the dew of heaven. âCorn and wine,â the substantial products, implying all the rest. Second, a numerous and powerful offspring. âLet peoples serve theeâ - pre-eminence among the nations. âBe lord of thy brethrenâ - pre-eminence among his kindred. Isaac does not seem to have grasped the full meaning of the prediction, âThe older shall serve the younger.â Third, Prosperity, temporal and spiritual. He that curseth thee be cursed, and he that blesseth thee be blessed. This is the only part of the blessing that directly comprises spiritual things; and even this of a special form. It is to be recollected that it was Isaacâs intention to bless Esau, and he may have felt that Esau, after all, was not to be the progenitor of the holy seed. Hence, the form of expression is vague enough to apply to temporal things, and yet sufficiently comprehensive to embrace the infliction of the ban of sin, and the diffusion of the blessing of salvation by means of the holy seed.
Genesis 27:30-41
Esauâs blessing. Esau comes in, but it is too late. âWho then?â The whole illusion is dispelled from the mind of Isaac. âYea, blessed he shall be.â Jacob had no doubt perpetrated a fraud, at the instigation of his mother; and if Esau had been worthy in other respects, and above all if the blessing had been designed for him, its bestowment on another would have been either prevented or regarded as null and void. But Isaac now felt that, whatever was the misconduct of Jacob in interfering, and especially in employing unworthy means to accomplish his end, he himself was culpable in allowing carnal considerations to draw his preference to Esau, who was otherwise unworthy. He knew too that the paternal benediction flowed not from the bias of the parent, but from the Spirit of God guiding his will, and therefore when so pronounced could not be revoked. Hence, he was now convinced that it was the design of Providence that the spiritual blessing should fall on the line of Jacob. The grief of Esau is distressing to witness, especially as he had been comparatively blameless in this particular instance. But still it is to be remembered that his heart had not been open to the paramount importance of spiritual things. Isaac now perceives that Jacob has gained the blessing by deceit. Esau marks the propriety of his name, the wrestler who trips up the heel, and pleads pathetically for at least some blessing. His father enumerates what he has done for Jacob, and asks what more he can do for Esau; who then exclaims, âHast thou but one blessing?â
Genesis 27:39-41
At length, in reply to the weeping suppliant, he bestows upon him a characteristic blessing. âAway from the fatness.â The preposition (×× mıÌy) is the same as in the blessing of Jacob. But there, after a verb of giving, it had a partitive sense; here, after a noun of place, it denotes distance or separation; for example, Proverbs 20:3 The pastoral life has been distasteful to Esau, and so it shall be with his race. The land of Edom was accordingly a comparative wilderness (Malachi 1:3). âOn thy sword.â By preying upon others. âAnd thy brother shalt thou serve.â Edom was long independent; but at length Saul was victorious over them 1 Samuel 14:47, and David conquered them 2 Samuel 8:14. Then followed a long struggle, until John Hyrcanus, 129 b.c., compelled them to be circumcised and incorporated into Judaism. âBreak his yoke.â The history of Edom was a perpetual struggle against the supremacy of Israel. Conquered by Saul, subdued by David, repressed by Solomon, restrained after a revolt by Amaziah, they recovered their independence in the time of Ahab. They were incorporated into the Jewish state, and furnished it with the dynasty of princes beginning with Antipater. Esau was now exasperated against his brother, and could only compose his mind by resolving to slay him during the days of mourning after his fatherâs death.
Genesis 27:42-46
Rebekah hearing this, advises Jacob to flee to Laban her brother, and await the abatement of his brotherâs anger. âThat which thou hast done to him.â Rebekah seems not to have been aware that she herself was the cause of much of the evil and of the misery that flowed from it. All the parties to this transaction are pursued by a retributive chastisement. Rebekah, especially, parts with her favorite son to meet him only after an absence of twenty years, if ever in this life. She is moreover grievously vexed with the connection which Esau formed with the daughters of Heth. She dreads a similar matrimonial alliance on the part of Jacob.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Genesis 27:12. I shall bring a curse upon me — For even in those early times the spirit of that law was understood, Deuteronomy 27:18: Cursed is he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way; and Jacob seems to have possessed at this time a more tender conscience than his mother.
