Genesis 27: Isaac is dying and Jacob tricks his father into blessing him.

Synopsis:

Isaac is old and dying and his eyesight is bad (and yes, that’s important to know). He asks his favorite son Esau to go and get him a deer and to cook it for him to eat one last time. Rebekah over hears this and tells Jacob to go kill a couple of goats, cook them and serve them to your father so he will bless you instead of Esau. Jacob says – wait, he’s going to figure it out because Esau is hairy and I am smooth. Rebekah has a plan. She dresses Jacob in Esau’s raiment and puts the skin of the goats upon Jacobs hands. Jacob serves his father and claims to be Esau. Isaac isn’t convinced until he feels Jacob’s hands and finds that they are hairy. He ends up blessing Jacob thinking he is Esau.  Esau comes back and gives his father the cooked venison. Isaac is mad, and Esau is upset that he didn’t get his father’s blessing.  Esau decides he is going to kill Jacob for cheating him after his father’s death. Rebekah gets word of this and tells Jacob to flee and sends him to go live with her brother Laban. I’ll send for you when it is safe to come back. Rebekah talks Isaac, while he is still alive into sending Jacob to her brother to find a wife since she hates the women of Heth in Canaan and doesn’t know what she will do if Jacob were to marry one of them.

In other words:

Isaac is old and feeble. Jacob tricks him into giving everything to him. His brother Esau is upset and threatens to kill Jacob. Jacob flees.

Favorite bit:

That putting goat fur on Jacob’s hands was enough to trick Isaac into giving his land and property to Jacob. (Genesis: 27:16)

The absolute best bit:

Rebekah talking Isaac into sending Jacob away for his own safety by complaining that the local women aren’t worthy of her son (Genesis 27:46)

Moral Lessons learned:

Lying causes hardship. (Genesis 27:12)