LESSON 15
Genesis for Today: Chapters 26-27
by Herb Drake

Copyright (c) 1998, 2020, Herb Drake.

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Another Famine

Recurrent famine is not uncommon in Palestine. When it happens this time, Isaac prepares to go to Egypt as his father had done. God stops him, however; the covenant is renewed with Isaac, and Isaac will be given descendnats, land, and blessings.

Abimelech and the "She's my Sister" Theme Repeats

In this third instance where a patriarch claims his attractive wife is his sister out of fear for his own life, the opponent is Abimelech. As in Chapters 12 and 20, the opponent holds the moral high ground when the subterfuge is discovered. Isaac remains at Gerar, and God blesses him with so much prosperity that he is compelled to move to the Valley of Gerar where he restores the wells dug by his father. Disputes follow, but are eventually resolved through Abimelech's initiative

Isaac remains in Beer-sheba, which is the central hub of his wandering. A brief genealogy of Esau's descendants follows; it is notable that neither of his two wives came from Haran. Also, we read that Esau continues to be hostile to Jacob and Rebekah.

Isaac's Blessing

The failing sight of the elderly in the Bible is probably due to the formation of cateracts, which tend to develop early in the desert sun. As Isaac ages and becomes nearly blind, he hastens to bless his first-born son, Esau, who he loves. Rebekah, however, teams up with Jacob to fool her husband and get him to unwittingly bless Jacob instead. Since the blessing will determine the next generation of the Abrahamic promise, this is an important episode.

While we know that Rebekah has a preference for Jacob, her involvment in this scheme probably comes mainly from her remembering the response that the LORD gave her when she was pregnant. She saw her participation in the scheme as obeying the will of God, who told her on that occassion that Esau will "serve" Jacob. Even though their plan furthered God's will, both share the responsibility for their deceitful behavior.

When Isaac calls on Esau to prepare for the passing on of the blessing, he asks Esau to use his hunting skills to prepare a savory dish for him. This request was overheard by Rebekah, however, and she and Jacob spring into action while Esau has left to fulfill his father's request. A substitute meal is prepared, Jacob puts on some of Esau's clothes, he makes his skin hairy with lambs wool, and he goes to his father.

Isaac is suspicious. He senses that the timing of off, as the meal arrives so quickly, and he senses Jacob's voice rather than Esau's. He is fooled by the smell of the garments and the hair on Jacob's neck and hands, and twice he asks his son to confirm that he is in the presence of Esau. Finally convinced, he gives Jacob the blessing that he intends for Esau. Jacob and his mother have committed serious transgressions, especially the sin of blasphemy when Jacob uses the LORD's name in telling a lie. But the matter is concluded just before Esau arrives with the game he has prepared.

When Isaac realizes that he has been duped, he "trembles violently." But nothing can be done, as Jacob will inherit Isaac's estate and there is nothing left for Esau. Esau swears revenge; he will kill Jacob soon after Isaac passes, a serious threat to the promise. But Rebekah overhears him and tells Jacob to flee to Haran. Isaac commends Jacob to marry one of the daughters of Rebekah's brother, Laban. Esau, having finally gained some understanding of the importance of the birthright that he sold to his brother, realizes that the birthright and the blessing were inseperable. He has received what amounts to a curse.

The episode ends with a shattered, divided family. Although Isaac is 100 years old, he will live on aother 80 years, a broken man, with the memory of his failure to give the first-born son his blessing. Rebekah will never see Jacob again, Jacob and Esau are now enemies, and Jacob has shown that the name he was given is appropriate, as he is indeed a villain. Nevertheless, as Morganstern points out, the measure of a person is not properly taken until one has lived a whole life, and there is a lesson here that we should not give up on a person too soon.

Genesis 24-25 | Genesis 28-29