49 : The Blessing
Then Rebekah took the best robes of her elder son Esau,
which were in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son.
With the skins of the kids she covered his hands and the smooth of his neck.
Then she put into the hands of Jacob the savoury meat, and the bread she had prepared.
So Jacob went to Isaac and said: "My father."
And Isaac said: !'Here I am. Who are you, my son?"
"I am Esau, your firstborn," Jacob said to his father.
"I have done as you told me. Arise, I beg of you, sit up and eat of my venison, so that your soul
may bless me."
But Isaac said to his son: "How is it that you found it so quickly, my son?"
"Because the Lord your God brought it to me," said Jacob.
Still Isaac said to Jacob: "Come near, I beg of you, so that I may feel you, my son, and know
whether you are really my son Esau or not."
Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and Isaac felt him and said:
"The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like the hands of
Esau his brother, so he blessed him.
Once more he said: "Are you really my son Esau?"
"I am," said Jacob
Then Isaac said: "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison,
that my soul may bless you.'
Jacob brought the food close to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.
Then Isaac said to him: "Now, come near and kiss me, my son."
Jacob came near and kissed him.
Isaac smelled the smell of his robe and blessed him, saying:
"See the smell of my son is as the smell of a feld which the Lord has blessed!
May God give you of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth,
and plenty of corn and wine.
Let people serve you, and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers, and let your mother's sons bow down to you.
May every one who curses you be cursed, and blessed be those that bless you!"
Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob,
and when Jacob had scarcely left Isaac his father,
that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
He also made savoury meat and brought it to his father.
"My father," he said, "please rise up and eat of your son's venison, so that your soul may bless me.".
Then Isaac his father said to him: "Who are you?" "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."
Then Isaac trembled all over and said: "Who is he then, he who prepared venison and brought it to me, and I ate of it before you came and have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed."
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