Genesis 27:12

ESV Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing."
NIV What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing."
NASB 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.'
CSB 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."
NLT 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.'
KJV 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.
NKJV 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 does Genesis 27:12 mean?

Rebekah has a plan to trick her husband Isaac into giving the family blessing to Jacob instead of Esau. She has overheard Isaac's plans with Esau (Genesis 27:6–8), and has enlisted Jacob to help her in a scheme. She will prepare a meal for Isaac before Esau can return and do the same. Jacob will take that meal into Isaac and receive the blessing (Genesis 27:9–10). This not only reflects the family's ongoing problem with favoritism (Genesis 25:28), it's an example of Rebekah trying to "help" God by forcing his prophecies to come true, as she sees fit (Genesis 25:23).

Now Jacob protests. He's not a hairy man like Esau. What if he gets caught? What if Isaac decides he is mocking the old man and gives him a curse instead of a blessing? Notice, Jacob is not concerned about replicating Esau's appearance. Isaac is nearly or completely blind (Genesis 27:1). He also does not express any worry about the difference in his voice, something that will very nearly ruin the whole scheme (Genesis 27:22). Most importantly, though, he is not—it seems—the slightest concerned about the morality of what he's about to do. He just doesn't want to be caught and punished.
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