Genesis 27:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you.

NIV: Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:

NASB: So now, my son, listen to me as I command you.

CSB: Now, my son, listen to me and do what I tell you.

NLT: Now, my son, listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you.

KJV: Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

NKJV: Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you.

Isaac is attempting to grant the family blessing to his firstborn twin son, Esau. Even though Esau foolishly sold his rights as firstborn (Genesis 25:29–34), Isaac strongly favors him (Genesis 25:28). Isaac's wife, Rebekah, prefers the younger twin, Jacob. She also knows that God has promised that Jacob, not Esau, will become the dominant brother (Genesis 25:23). Recently, Rebekah has revealed to Jacob what she's overheard: that Esau is about to receive the family blessing from his father Isaac (Genesis 27:1–5).

Now Rebekah plays the "mom card." She leverages her authority in Jacob's life as the reason Jacob should do exactly as she says. She insists that he must obey her, hoping to get Jacob to act quickly and to overcome any objections. As it turns out, Jacob's concerns will have more to do with possible consequences than whether or not her plan to deceive his father and betray his brother is a moral option (Genesis 27:12).

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.

Prior chapters described the prosperity of Isaac, living in the Valley of Gerar. Genesis 27 leaps forward to near the end of Isaac's life. The time has come to pass on the family blessing. Isaac's intention to give that blessing to firstborn, Esau, is thwarted by the deception of Isaac's wife Rebekah and his other son Jacob. Isaac overcomes his suspicions that the man before him is not Esau and delivers the very blessing of God on Jacob. Esau is left with a near-curse and a murderous rage. Rebekah urges Jacob to go to her brother's household, a plan Isaac will endorse in the following chapter. There, he will ironically experience the sting of deception in his own life.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/3/2024 1:43:17 AM