Genesis 27:12

Isaac Blesses Jacob · Genesis 27:1–29
Read Genesis 27

Translations

Modern
What if my father touches me? Then I would be revealed to him as a deceiver, and I would bring upon myself a curse rather than a blessing.”
Traditional
My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
Literal
Perhaps my father will feel me, and I will be in his eyes as a deceiver, and I shall bring on myself a curse and not a blessing.”
Latin
…si attrectaverit me pater meus, et senserit, timeo ne putet me sibi voluisse illudere, et inducam super me maledictionem pro benedictione.

Original

Hebrew
English
What if my father touches me? Then I would be revealed to him as a deceiver, and I would bring upon myself a curse rather than a blessing.”

Notes

Jacob had no problem tricking his father. He only worried it might fail and Isaac would curse him for attempting it.

The blessing seemed to be at risk. In the second scene, Rebekah and Jacob tried to gain God’s blessing through deception, rather than through faith and love. Rebekah made a plan to trick Isaac, who was old, into thinking he was blessing Esau when he was actually blessing Jacob.

Jacob got his father Isaac’s blessing through deception. In this story, an entire family tries to carry out their responsibilities by physical means rather than by faith. Faith would have provided Rebekah and Jacob a more honorable solution to the crisis.

Parallels

Hebrews 11:20

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Birthright Ebla Tablets Esau Food and Food Preparation Genealogy Genesis, Book of Idumea, Idumeans Isaac Jacob’s Ladder Leah Nathanael Patriarchs, Period of the Primogeniture Rebecca, Rebekah Word, Word of God, Words of God

Topics

Children: Partiality of Parents Among: Rebekah for Jacob Covetousness in Defrauding Esau of His, Father's Blessing Craftiness: Obtaining Isaac's Blessing Deception: Jacob and Rebekah, in Imposing Jacob on his Father, and Jacob's Impersonating Esau Dishonesty: Jacob Steals his Father's Blessing Dishonesty: Rebekah's Craftiness in Jacob's Behalf Falsehood: Rebekah and Isaac, in the Conspiracy Against Esau Family: Infelicity In of Isaac, on Account of the Disagreement Between Jacob and Esau Favoritism: Rebekah, for Jacob Jacob: Fradulently Obtains his Father's Blessing Parents: Partiality of Rebekah for Jacob Parents: Paternal Blessings of Isaac Rebekah (Rebecca): Prompts Jacob to Deceive Isaac Temptation: Yielding to Jacob, to Defraud Esau Women: Rebekah, in Her Partiality for Jacob, and Her Sharp Practice to Secure for Him Isaac's Blessing