ISAAC BLESSING JACOB.

And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyeswere dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau, his eldestson, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold,here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the dayof my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thyquiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me somevenison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring itto me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before Idie.

And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esauwent to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heardthy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison,and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee beforethe Lord before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voiceaccording to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, andfetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will makethem savoury meat for thy father such as he loveth; And thoushalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he maybless thee before his death.

And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brotheris a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventurewill feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shallbring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son:only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: andhis mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. AndRebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which werewith her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands andupon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat andthe bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her sonJacob.

And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said,Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father,I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badestme: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soulmay bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thouhast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lordthy God brought it to me. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, Ipray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my veryson Esau or not. And Jacob went; near unto Isaac his father; andhe felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the handsare the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because hishands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessedhim.

And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. Andhe said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison,that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, andhe did eat; and he brought him wine, and he drank. And his fatherIsaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. And hecame near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of hisraiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son isas the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed: ThereforeGod give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth,and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nationsbow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother'ssons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, andblessed be he that blesseth thee.—Genesis xxvii. 1-29.