What does Genesis 27:22 mean?
Jacob is attempting to impersonate his older twin brother, Esau, by wearing his clothes and putting hairy goat skins on his arms and neck (Genesis 27:6–17). The target of this fraud is his own father, an elderly and blind Isaac (Genesis 27:1–5). While his father might be ailing, he is not entirely senseless: Isaac is clearly aware that something is not right with this version of "Esau" standing before him. It's too soon for Esau to have returned (Genesis 27:18–20), and the voice is wrong. It's plainly Jacob's voice. So, Isaac asks this person to approach so he can feel his skin. Perhaps Isaac thought he would find Jacob's smooth hands attached to the voice.Instead, Isaac finds hairy hands, like those of Esau, thanks to Jacob's mother cleverly applying the goat's skin. Old, blind and fearing he was near death, Isaac was probably confused. Maybe this really was his firstborn Esau to whom he intended to give the blessing.