What does Genesis 27:17 mean?
This is the moment of truth for Rebekah's plan to trick Isaac into giving the family blessing to Jacob instead of Esau (Genesis 27:6–10). Rebekah greatly favors her younger son over his older brother (Genesis 25:28), and knows that God has prophesied that Jacob will be the dominant one (Genesis 25:23). Instead of trusting God, Rebekah and Jacob are "helping" God by scheming to make their own version of His promises come true.So, while Esau is still away hunting for or preparing the delicious meal his father has requested (Genesis 27:2–4), they made their move. Rebekah's substitute version of that meal is ready to go. The plot hinges on Isaac's blindness (Genesis 27:1). Rebekah has dressed Jacob in Esau's clothes, to make him smell like his older brother. She has covered his smooth arms and neck with hairy goat's skin to make him feel like hairy Esau.
All that is left is to send Jacob in and see if it works. Will Isaac believe that Jacob is Esau long enough to give him the blessing?
Genesis 27:1–29 describes how the Abrahamic family blessing came to second-born Jacob, instead of his firstborn brother, Esau. Isaac intends to give the blessing to his favored son, Esau. Rebekah commands Jacob to impersonate Esau, instead, in order to get the blessing for himself. Isaac almost catches on but is convinced by the smell of Esau on Jacob's borrowed clothes, and the hairy, Esau-like goat's skin on Jacob's hands. Isaac gives to Jacob the future-defining blessing of God.
Isaac's plan to pass the family blessing on to his favorite son, Esau, is thwarted by the deception of Isaac's wife Rebekah, and his other son Jacob. Old and blind, Isaac fails to recognize that the man claiming to be Esau is actually Jacob in a clever disguise. His prayer of blessing for wealth and rule over his brothers will remain valid though it is given under false pretense. Esau will be left with a blessing that sounds like a curse and a plan to murder his brother. Jacob will be forced to run for his life.
