Lesson 59 Genesis 27:31- 46

Dad, do you Have anything left for Me? vs.30-36

English Standard Version (Chapter 27)

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.”

32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.”

34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.”

36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?

This is really the classic tragic story of a brother betrayed. Esau looks at this as twice vanquished: he has lost his birthright and he has lost his blessing. Little brothers can be exasperating, especially when deceit is involved and such family pride is at stake. The whole scene is rehearsed for us. Just as Jacob has stole the blessing by fixing his game for food for Isaac, Esau prepares and all the while, unknowingly thinks he has got this in the bag. Jacob has taken the bag and run with it. Remember, this is not a family with a miserable existence. They had striking lives that people envied. The Scripture pulls back the veil of an marvelous father of boys, who as a boy himself, laid on the altar by faith as Abraham raised the knife. The Lord provided a lamb and Isaac was spared. This is that son of Abraham, struggling to figure out his own family because of deceit.

Isaac seems terrified in verse 34,” he trembled very violently. He has realized that he has given the blessing away. “ I have blessed him, and yes, he shall be blessed.”These words caused such extreme anguish in Esau that he raise up a great and bitter cry. This is as bad as drinking a drink of witch hazel, an astringent. Nasty, nasty. He has been cheated once, and now twice. That brings us to the declaration: “have you not reserved a blessing for me?” If this seems a little dramatic, remember the heart break that some family problems can bring, even without deception. Add deception to the mix and as far as Esau is concerned, it’s unbearable!

Breaking Away From His Brother 27:37-40

English Standard Version (Chapter 27)

37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,and away from the dew of heaven on high.40 By your sword you shall live,and you shall serve your brother;but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

Up to this point, Esau has proved to be a person who despised a normal life of faith. He sold his birthright. He married unsaved, heathen Hittites, Judith and Basemath, women who were a grief to his parents. Now he has lost the blessing. He’s not been great at protecting family blessings, but he has been prolific at being a grief to Mom and dad. But Dad still loves him and was going to give the blessing to Esau in spite of the words spoken over them before their birth, “the elder will serve the younger.”

We hear Esau ask the question, “Dad, do you have anything left for me?” Just one blessing will do!

Isaac blesses him from the “fatness of the earth shall his dwelling be.” In other words, Esau will live off the fat of the land or richness of the fertile fields, but it will not be near the dew of heaven. It seems to be a limited territory. He is also proclaimed as a mighty warrior (your sword shall you live), or an excellent soldier. Esau is going to be warlike.

And,...

“You shall serve your brother.” He just can’t get away from that. But Dad gives him a way out. He tells him when he is restless ( or uneasy, can’t sleep, he is going to break Jacob’s yoke off his neck. Metaphorically speaking, he is thinking that Jacob’s yoke makes him feel like he is Jacob’s slave. Someday, that will change.

The Brothers Separate 27:41 - 45

English Standard Version (Chapter 27)

41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you.

43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away—

45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”

Esau is thinking his dad’s days are numbered, so as soon as dad dies, I’m going to kill Jacob. He not only despises, his birthright, his family name(by his wives), and his blessing, but also now he despises his brother so much he wants him dead. Mom steps in again and now she alarms Jacob to leave and because of this, she will never see him alive again. Jacob flees to Haran(Babylon area), supposedly for a little while, but it turns into years. It was supposed to be for a little while so Esau could cool down and forget. Rebecca would lose too much, because both of the boys may die in a fight.

Mom Hates herself 27:46

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 27:46.

Esau’s wives caused Rebekah to hate her life. She detested her life. She was disgusted. But were the wives the only problem? of course not. She is beginning to regret her trickery. I’m thinking there is conviction in her heart for driving a wedge between the sons. But God’s will was accomplished and Jacob got the blessing as God intended. Rebekah was having a hard time living with it. We will find out that Jacob left with Dad’s blessing. This time no trickery. This time Isaac is informed what’s going to happen. family works much better with communication. Little did they realize, Mom and dad would not see Jacob again in this lifetime. We see God’s hand in the life of His children. He does allow them to make mistakes, But He does not allow them to ruin the future in regards to the things He has promised. The plan of God is preserved and His children get to work things out as they follow their choices. Dad did have something left for his son. We will soon learn, it was not enough.