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Gênesis 27

ARC · Chapter 27/50

1E aconteceu que, como Isaac envelheceu, e os seus olhos se escureceram, de maneira que não podia ver, chamou a Esaú, seu filho mais velho, e disse-lhe: Meu filho. E elle lhe disse: Eis-me aqui.

2E elle disse: Eis que já agora estou velho, e não sei o dia da minha morte;

3Agora pois, toma as tuas armas, a tua aljava e o teu arco, e sae ao campo, e apanha para mim alguma caça,

4E faze-me um guisado saboroso, como eu o amo, e traze-m'o, para que eu coma; para que minha alma te abençoe, antes que morra.

5E Rebecca escutou quando Isaac fallava ao seu filho Esaú: e foi-se Esaú ao campo, para apanhar caça que havia de trazer.

6Então fallou Rebecca a Jacob seu filho, dizendo: Eis que tenho ouvido o teu pae que fallava com Esaú teu irmão, dizendo:

7Traze-me caça, e faze-me um guisado saboroso, para que eu coma, e te abençoe diante da face do Senhor, antes da minha morte.

8Agora pois, filho meu, ouve a minha voz n'aquillo que eu te mando:

9Vae agora ao rebanho, e traze-me de lá dois bons cabritos das cabras, e eu farei d'elles um guisado saboroso para teu pae, como elle ama,

10E leval-o-has a teu pae, para que o coma; para que te abençoe antes da sua morte.

11Então disse Jacob a Rebecca, sua mãe: Eis que Esaú meu irmão é varão cabelludo. e eu varão liso;

12Porventura me apalpará o meu pae, e serei em seus olhos enganador: assim trarei eu sobre mim maldição, e não benção.

13E disse-lhe sua mãe: Meu filho, sobre mim seja a tua maldição; sómente obedece á minha voz, e vae, traze-m'os.

14E foi, e tomou-os, e trouxe-os a sua mãe; e sua mãe fez um guisado saboroso, como seu pae amava.

15Depois tomou Rebecca os vestidos de gala de Esaú, seu filho mais velho, que tinha comsigo em casa, e vestiu a Jacob, seu filho menor;

16E com as pelles dos cabritos das cabras cobriu as suas mãos e a lisura do seu pescoço;

17E deu o guisado saboroso, e o pão que tinha preparado, na mão de Jacob seu filho.

18E veiu elle a seu pae, e disse: Meu pae! E elle disse: Eis-me aqui; quem és tu, meu filho?

19E Jacob disse a seu pae: Eu sou Esaú, teu primogenito; tenho feito como me disseste: levanta-te agora, assenta-te, e come da minha caça, para que a tua alma me abençoe.

20Então disse Isaac a seu filho: Como é isto, que tão cedo a achaste, filho meu? E elle disse: Porque o Senhor teu Deus a mandou ao meu encontro.

21E disse Isaac a Jacob: Chega-te agora, para que te apalpe, meu filho, se és meu filho Esaú mesmo, ou não.

22Então se chegou Jacob a Isaac seu pae, que o apalpou, e disse: A voz é a voz de Jacob, porém as mãos são as mãos de Esaú.

23E não o conheceu, porquanto as suas mãos estavam cabelludas, como as mãos de Esaú seu irmão: e abençoou-o.

24E disse: És tu meu filho Esaú mesmo? E elle disse: Eu sou.

25Então disse: Faze chegar isso perto de mim, para que coma da caça de meu filho; para que a minha alma te abençoe. E chegou-lh'o, e comeu; trouxe-lhe tambem vinho, e bebeu.

26E disse-lhe Isaac seu pae: Ora chega-te, e beija-me, filho meu.

27E chegou-se, e beijou-o; então cheirou o cheiro dos seus vestidos, e abençoou-o, e disse: Eis que o cheiro do meu filho é como o cheiro do campo, que o Senhor abençoou:

28Assim pois te dê Deus do orvalho dos céus, e das gorduras da terra, e abundancia de trigo e de mosto:

29Sirvam-te povos, e nações se incurvem a ti: sê senhor de teus irmãos, e os filhos da tua mãe se incurvem a ti: malditos sejam os que te amaldiçoarem, e bemditos sejam os que te abençoarem.

30E aconteceu que, acabando Isaac de abençoar a Jacob, apenas Jacob acabava de sair da face de Isaac seu pae, veiu Esaú, seu irmão, da sua caça;

31E fez tambem elle um guisado saboroso, e trouxe-o a seu pae; e disse a seu pae: Levanta-te, meu pae, e come da caça de teu filho, para que me abençoe a tua alma.

32E disse-lhe Isaac seu pae: Quem és tu? E elle disse: Eu sou teu filho, o teu primogenito, Esaú.

33Então estremeceu Isaac de um estremecimento muito grande; e disse: Quem, pois, é aquelle que apanhou a caça, e m'a trouxe? e comi de tudo, antes que tu viesses, e abençoei-o: tambem será bemdito.

34Esaú, ouvindo as palavras de seu pae, bradou com grande e mui amargo brado, e disse a seu pae: Abençoa-me tambem a mim, meu pae.

35E elle disse: Veiu o teu irmão com subtileza, e tomou a tua benção.

36Então disse elle: Não foi o seu nome justamente chamado Jacob, por isso que já duas vezes me enganou? a minha primogenitura me tomou, e eis que agora me tomou a minha benção. Mais disse: Não reservaste pois para mim benção alguma?

37Então respondeu Isaac, e disse a Esaú: Eis que o tenho posto por senhor sobre ti, e todos os seus irmãos lhe tenho dado por servos: e de trigo e de mosto o tenho fortalecido;--que te farei pois agora a ti, meu filho?

38E disse Esaú a seu pae: Tens uma só benção, meu pae? abençoa-me tambem a mim, meu pae. E levantou Esaú a sua voz, e chorou.

39Então respondeu Isaac seu pae, e disse-lhe: Eis que nas gorduras da terra será a tua habitação, e do orvalho dos céus do alto serás abençoado,

40E pela tua espada viverás, e ao teu irmão servirás. Acontecerá, porém, que quando te senhoreares, então sacudirás o seu jugo do teu pescoço.

41E aborreceu Esaú a Jacob por causa d'aquella benção, com que seu pae o tinha abençoado; e Esaú disse no seu coração: Chegar-se-hão os dias de luto de meu pae: e matarei a Jacob meu irmão.

42E foram denunciadas a Rebecca estas palavras de Esaú, seu filho mais velho; e ella enviou, e chamou a Jacob seu filho menor, e disse-lhe: Eis que Esaú teu irmão se consola a teu respeito, propondo-se matar-te.

43Agora pois, meu filho, ouve a minha voz, e levanta-te; acolhe-te a Labão meu irmão, em Haran,

44E mora com elle alguns dias, até que passe o furor de teu irmão;

45Até que se desvie de ti a ira de teu irmão, e se esqueça do que lhe fizeste: então enviarei, e te farei vir de lá; porque seria eu desfilhada tambem de vós ambos n'um mesmo dia?

46E disse Rebecca a Isaac: Enfadada estou da minha vida, por causa das filhas de Heth; se Jacob tomar mulher das filhas de Heth, como estas são das filhas d'esta terra, para que me será a vida?

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Rebekah helps Jacob deceive his blind father, Isaac, so that he receives the blessing of the firstborn instead of Esau; Esau becomes furious and plans to kill Jacob, who flees to the house of his uncle Laban.

Explanation

This is one of the most tense and morally complex episodes in Genesis: Jacob's deception, orchestrated by his mother Rebekah, exploits Isaac's physical blindness to steal a blessing that, according to the earlier prophecy (Genesis 25:23), already belonged to Jacob anyway. The text does not approve of this dishonest method — it clearly shows the painful consequences: a divided family, brotherly hatred, and Jacob's forced exile, which would keep him away from home for years because of this act. The patriarchal blessing, understood in that culture as an irrevocable prophetic word, shows the enormous weight placed on the spoken word and paternal authority. Today's lesson is that even when the final outcome aligns with God's plan, the means used to reach it carry real, painful consequences.

Fun facts

  • Once pronounced, the patriarchal blessing was considered legally irrevocable in Ancient Near Eastern cultures — which is why Isaac, even after realizing the deception, could not simply undo what he had said to Jacob (v. 33, 'yea, and he shall be blessed').
  • Jacob would pay for his own deception years later, when his uncle Laban deceived him in a similar way, swapping Leah for Rachel on his wedding night (Genesis 29) — a biblical pattern that 'whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap' (Galatians 6:7).

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Gênesis 27:1Isaac is already old and blind — two details that explain why he relies only on touch, smell, and voice to recognize his sons, a gap that Rebekah and Jacob will exploit in the scene that follows.
  2. Gênesis 27:2Isaac believes death is near, even though he will actually live many more years after this — it is this fear that speeds up his decision to bless his son right away.
  3. Gênesis 27:3Asking for fresh game before the blessing is not just affection: it is preparing a special, almost ceremonial meal to accompany the solemn moment of passing on the father’s blessing.
  4. Gênesis 27:4Isaac asks for game to eat “that my soul may bless thee before I die.” A father’s blessing near death was not a warm compliment, but an almost legal act that shaped the family’s future and could not be undone once spoken — which is why the whole chapter revolves around who manages to receive it first.
  5. Gênesis 27:5Rebekah overhears the conversation by chance — it is this detail that sets off the whole plan she puts together to favor Jacob.
  6. Gênesis 27:6Rebekah acts fast, repeating to Jacob exactly what she heard, already preparing the counter-plan before Esau returns from the hunt.
  7. Gênesis 27:7She repeats Isaac’s request almost word for word, showing she paid attention to every detail so the plan would work.
  8. Gênesis 27:8Rebekah starts giving Jacob direct orders, reversing the roles: now she is the one in charge, and he the one who must obey without question.
  9. Gênesis 27:9Domestic young goats, prepared the right way, could imitate the taste of the wild game Isaac loved so much — Rebekah’s plan is entirely doable right there in the kitchen.
  10. Gênesis 27:10The plan is made clear: Jacob will deliver the food in person, pretending to be his brother, in order to receive the blessing meant for Esau.
  11. Gênesis 27:11Jacob does not object to the plan on ethical grounds — what worries him is the practical risk of getting caught, since Esau was hairy and he was smooth.
  12. Gênesis 27:12Jacob fears that his blind father will “feel” him and notice the trick by touch, since Esau was “a hairy man” and he “a smooth man.” It is precisely Isaac’s blindness that makes the disguise of goatskins placed on Jacob’s hands and neck good enough to work.
  13. Gênesis 27:13Rebekah takes full responsibility if the plan goes wrong, saying the curse would fall on her — a guarantee strong enough to convince Jacob to go through with it.
  14. Gênesis 27:14Jacob obeys, and Rebekah prepares the stew exactly the way Isaac liked it — repeating the same dish that had been requested of Esau.
  15. Gênesis 27:15Dressing Jacob in Esau’s clothes serves to imitate his older brother’s smell, since smell would be one of the few ways Isaac could tell who was in front of him.
  16. Gênesis 27:16The goatskins on his hands and neck imitate Esau’s hairy skin, covering exactly the spots Isaac might touch to confirm his identity.
  17. Gênesis 27:17Rebekah hands over everything ready — food and disguise —, leaving Jacob only the part of deceiving his father face to face.
  18. Gênesis 27:18The question “who art thou” already shows that Isaac suspects something odd about how quickly the answer came — Jacob will now have to lie directly.
  19. Gênesis 27:19Jacob lies about his own identity and even invokes God’s name, “the Lord thy God,” to explain how quickly he found the game — doubling the deception with a religious lie.
  20. Gênesis 27:20Jacob’s answer tries to sound natural, but comes too fast for someone who had just been hunting — another sign, besides the voice, that something is off.
  21. Gênesis 27:21Isaac asks to feel his son, relying on touch since his sight no longer works — it is exactly this weak point the goatskin disguise was designed to fool.
  22. Gênesis 27:22Isaac’s own words sum up the whole scene: the voice gives Jacob away, but the touch confirms Esau — and it is the touch that ends up winning out over the doubt.
  23. Gênesis 27:23Isaac decides to trust the hairy hands and ends up blessing Jacob without knowing it — the physical disguise overcomes the strangeness he felt in the voice.
  24. Gênesis 27:24Isaac asks again, directly, whether it is really Esau — and Jacob confirms the lie a second time, without hesitation.
  25. Gênesis 27:25Isaac eats and drinks what he believes is his older son’s game, completing the ritual before giving the final blessing.
  26. Gênesis 27:26Asking for a kiss is one more step of confirmation — the smell of Jacob’s skin and borrowed clothes will be the final touch that convinces Isaac.
  27. Gênesis 27:27The smell of Esau’s clothes, which carried the smell of the field, is what finally convinces Isaac to bless Jacob wholeheartedly, comparing his son to a field blessed by the Lord.
  28. Gênesis 27:28The blessing promises material abundance: dew, fertile land, plenty of corn and wine — the same signs of agricultural prosperity that appear in several blessings throughout the Old Testament.
  29. Gênesis 27:29The strongest part of the blessing is about power: peoples serving him, dominion over his brothers — a blessing clearly greater than that of an ordinary son, the kind reserved for the firstborn.
  30. Gênesis 27:30The timing is razor-thin: Jacob had barely left when Esau arrives from the hunt — the scene shows just how close Jacob came to being caught in the act.
  31. Gênesis 27:31Without knowing it, Esau repeats almost the same words Jacob had used shortly before — underscoring just how completely the disguise had fooled Isaac.
  32. Gênesis 27:32Isaac’s question shows his shock: he had already been certain he had blessed the right son, and now realizes something has gone badly wrong.
  33. Gênesis 27:33Even on discovering he had been deceived, Isaac does not take back the blessing already given to Jacob — he says of his own act, “yea, and he shall be blessed.” For readers of that time, a blessing spoken aloud worked like a word that could no longer be taken back, even if it had been obtained by a lie.
  34. Gênesis 27:34Esau’s cry is described with emphasis, “a great and exceeding bitter cry” — a reaction of genuine pain at realizing he had lost, for the second time, something that was rightfully his.
  35. Gênesis 27:35Isaac sums up what happened with one harsh word, “subtilty” — acknowledging the deception, but unable to undo the blessing already given.
  36. Gênesis 27:36Esau ties his brother’s name to the very trick played on him: “Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times?” The name Jacob, tied to “heel” since birth, now also comes to sound like “deceiver” after this episode — the same name carrying both stories.
  37. Gênesis 27:37Isaac explains to Esau why he cannot simply repeat the blessing: he has already given Jacob what was most valuable — the position of lord, abundance, and dominion — and has no equal one left to give.
  38. Gênesis 27:38Esau’s loud weeping, begging for whatever blessing remains, shows the despair of someone watching his inheritance slip away completely.
  39. Gênesis 27:39The blessing left for Esau sounds similar to Jacob’s, but reversed in importance — he will have abundance, but will live under his brother’s dominion, not the other way around.
  40. Gênesis 27:40Isaac predicts that Esau will live by the sword, by force — and also predicts that one day he will break free of his brother’s dominion, a prediction that comes true later in the history of Edom.
  41. Gênesis 27:41Esau nurses his hatred in silence, waiting for the right moment: he plans to kill Jacob only after their father dies, so as not to taint the mourning or dishonor Isaac.
  42. Gênesis 27:42Rebekah finds out about Esau’s plan — the text does not say how, only that the news reaches her — and now she needs to protect the very son she helped deceive their father.
  43. Gênesis 27:43Rebekah tells Jacob to flee to her own brother Laban’s house, in Haran — the same region the family had come from before settling in Canaan.
  44. Gênesis 27:44Rebekah’s idea is for Jacob to stay away only until Esau’s anger passes — except this “temporary” stay will stretch on for many years, as the following chapters show.
  45. Gênesis 27:45Rebekah fears losing both sons on the same day — Esau by becoming a murderer, Jacob by being killed — a mother’s fear that reveals how well she understands the seriousness of what she herself helped cause.
  46. Gênesis 27:46Rebekah tells Isaac she is “weary of” her “life because of the daughters of Heth” to justify sending Jacob away — but the real reason, told only to Jacob in the previous verses, is to hide him from Esau’s revenge. She uses a genuine complaint as a public excuse for the reason she could not say openly.

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