The Deceit Discovered (30-40)

As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, he left the tent and no time lapsed before Esau entered with his meal. He had prepared the meal and called for his father to rise and eat the food he had prepared and then bless him. The only one in the story who was not deceiving anyone now awaited his blessing (30-31).  

Isaac was confused and asked who he was, and Esau made clear his identity (32). Isaac knew immediately this was the real Esau, and the one who had left with the blessing was an imposter. Isaac was trembling with panic as he announced he had already eaten the meal, had fellowship, and blessed another. In those days, deathbed patriarchal blessings could not be revoked (33). With exceedingly great and bitter tears (Hebrews 12:17), Esau sought the blessing, but the blessing given to Jacob was denied him, as Isaac told Esau the blessing had deceitfully been taken away by Jacob and belonged irreversibly to him (34-35).  

Esau then bitterly rehearsed the meaning of Jacob’s name, the incident of Jacob taking from him the birthright, and finally, his leaving him bereft of even the final blessing. Esau begged one more time for a small blessing from Isaac. Isaac told Esau he had given his brother everything—family, leadership, and prosperity—nothing was left (36-37).

Esau longed for just one blessing and lifted up his voice and wept again, begging for a blessing (38). Isaac then began to prophesy. Esau (Edom) would:

• dwell in deserts, and rain would be scarce (39)

• prosper not of the earth but by the sword and taking spoil from others

• serve his brother Jacob (Israel)

• someday break the yoke of being a vassal, tribute-paying nation to Jacob (Israel) (40)

Esau's Hatred (41-46)

Esau told a servant how much he hated Jacob for robbing him of his blessing and told him he was going to kill Jacob as soon as his father died and had been properly mourned (41).  

The news was told to Rebekah and she communicated it to Jacob (42). Again, Rebekah took charge of the situation and directed Jacob to go back to her home in Haran and to her brother Laban. She told him to stay with Laban for a season until Esau’s anger subsided. Rebekah knew Esau to be a selfish and lustful man, and when his mind turned to other things he would soon forget about the loss of the blessing, and it would not be an issue with him. As it turned out, she was right. God yet blessed Esau, and the covenant Yahweh made with Abraham was of no consequence or value to him. (When Esau did meet Jacob, years later, he greeted him as if he had been transformed into the love of God for him [33:10].) 

Rebekah assured Jacob she would send for him when it was safe (43-45).

Again being a bit deceitful, Rebekah went to Isaac and used her loathing of the Hittite women Esau had married as an excuse to send Jacob to Laban in Haran, to get a wife from their kinsman there, as Abraham had done for Isaac (46).