What does Genesis 27:4 mean?

Isaac summons his firstborn son to his side with what would have been good news. He intends to impart his blessing to Esau (Genesis 27:1–3). First, though, Isaac wants Esau to go hunt and kill some game and to prepare it for him as a delicious meal. Isaac proclaims his love for the food provided by Esau, the hunter.

The end of chapter 25 revealed that Isaac loved Esau for this very reason, his son's ability to bring him good meat to eat (Genesis 25:28). Before he gives the blessing to Esau, he would like to experience this again. We have seen that both Isaac and Esau share a strong appetite for food. Scripture also indicated that Rebekah, Isaac's wife and mother of his twin sons, prefers the younger, Jacob.

As will become clear later in this chapter, the blessing Isaac is referring to is not merely good wishes from a dying father. He is prepared to give to Esau a specific blessing that will make him lord over his brothers. Rebekah, it turns out, is able to overhear this conversation. She will hatch a plot, along with Jacob, to steal this blessing (Genesis 27:5–8). This adds another layer of controversy to the family; Jacob had previously convinced Esau to sell him the birthright (Genesis 25:29–34).