Genesis 27

When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.”

“Here I am,” he answered.

وَلَمَّا شَاخَ إِسْحاقُ وَضَعُفَ بَصَرُهُ اسْتَدْعَى ابْنَهُ الأَكْبَرَ عِيسُو وَقَالَ لَهُ: «يَا بُنَيَّ،

Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death.

هَا أَنَا قَدْ شِخْتُ وَلَسْتُ أَعْرِفُ مَتَى يَحِينُ يَوْمُ وَفَاتِي.

Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.

فَالآنَ خُذْ عُدَّتَكَ: جُعْبَتَكَ وَقَوْسَكَ، وَامْضِ إِلَى الْبَرِّيَّةِ وَاقْتَنِصْ لِي صَيْداً.

Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”

وَجَهِّزْ لِي طَعَاماً شَهِيًّا كَمَا أُحِبُّ وَائْتِنِي بِهِ لِآكُلَ، لِتُبَارِكَكَ نَفْسِي قَبْلَ أَنْ أَمُوتَ».

Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back,

وَسَمِعَتْ رِفْقَةُ حَدِيثَ إِسْحاقَ لابْنِهِ عِيسُو. فَعِنْدَمَا انْطَلَقَ عِيسُو إِلَى الْبَرِّيَّةِ لِيَصْطَادَ صَيْداً وَيَأْتِيَ بِهِ.

Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau,

قَالَتْ رِفْقَةُ لابْنِهَا يَعْقُوبَ: «سَمِعْتُ أَبَاكَ يَقُولُ لِعِيسُو أَخِيكَ:

‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.’

اقْتَنِصْ لِي صَيْداً، وَجَهِّزْ لِي أَطْعِمَةً شَهِيَّةً لِآكُلَ وَأُبَارِكَكَ أَمَامَ الرَّبِّ قَبْلَ مَوْتِي.

Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:

وَالآنَ يَا بُنَيَّ أَطِعْ قَوْلِي فِي مَا آمُرُكَ بِهِ،

Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.

وَاذْهَبْ إِلَى قَطِيعِ الْمَاشِيَةِ، وَاخْتَرْ جَدْيَيْنِ لأُجَهِّزَ لأَبِيكَ أَطْعِمَةً شَهِيَّةً كَمَا يُحِبُّ،

Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.”

تُقَدِّمُهَا لأَبِيكَ لِيَأْكُلَ، فَيُبَارِكَكَ قَبْلَ وَفَاتِهِ».

Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man while I have smooth skin.

فَقَالَ يَعْقُوبُ لِرِفْقَةَ أُمِّهِ: «أَخِي عِيسُو رَجُلٌ أَشْعَرُ، وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ أَمْلَسُ.

What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing.”

وَقَدْ يَجُسُّنِي أَبِي فَيَتَبَيَّنُ خِدَاعِي، وَأَسْتَجْلِبُ عَلَى نَفْسِي لَعْنَةً لَا بَرَكَةً».

His mother said to him, “My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me.”

فَقَالَتْ لَهُ أُمُّهُ: «لَعْنَتُكَ عَلَيَّ يَا بُنَيَّ، فَأَطِعْ قَوْلِي فَقَطْ، وَاذْهَبْ وَأَحْضِرِ الْجَدْيَيْنِ لِي».

So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it.

فَذَهَبَ وَاخْتَارَهُمَا وَأَحْضَرَهُمَا لأُمِّهِ، فَأَعَدَّتْ رِفْقَةُ الأَطْعِمَةَ الْمُطَيَّبَةَ كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَبُوهُ

Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob.

وَتَنَاوَلَتْ ثِيَابَ بِكْرِهَا عِيسُو الْفَاخِرَةَ الْمَوْجُودَةَ عِنْدَهَا فِي الْبَيْتِ وَأَلْبَسَتْ يَعْقُوبَ ابْنَهَا الأَصْغَرَ،

She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins.

وَكَذَلِكَ غَطَّتْ يَدَيْهِ وَمَلاسَةَ عُنُقِهِ بِجِلْدِ الْجَدْيَيْنِ.

Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.

وَأَعْطَتْهُ مَا أَعَدَّتْهُ مِنَ الأَطْعِمَةِ الشَّهِيَّةِ وَالْخُبْزِ.

He went to his father and said, “My father.”

“Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?”

فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَى أَبِيهِ وَقَالَ: «يَا أَبِي». فَأَجَابَهُ: «نَعَمْ يَا ابْنِي، مَنْ أَنْتَ؟»

Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”

فَقَالَ يَعْقُوبُ: «أَنَا عِيسُو بِكْرُكَ. وَقَدْ فَعَلْتُ كَمَا طَلَبْتَ، وَالآنَ قُمْ وَاجْلِسْ وَكُلْ مِنْ صَيْدِي حَتَّى تُبَارِكَنِي».

Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”

“The Lord your God gave me success,” he replied.

فَقَالَ إِسْحَاقُ: «كَيْفَ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَجِدَ صَيْداً بِمِثْلِ هَذِهِ السُّرْعَةِ يَا وَلَدِي؟» فَأَجَابَهُ: «لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ إِلَهَكَ قَدْ يَسَّرَ لِي ذَلِكَ».

Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.”

وَقَالَ إِسْحاقُ: «اقْتَرِبْ مِنِّي لأَجُسَّكَ يَا ابْنِي لأَرَى إِنْ كُنْتَ حَقّاً ابْنِي عِيسُو أَمْ لا».

Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

فَدَنَا يَعْقُوبُ مِنْ أَبِيهِ إِسْحاقَ فَجَسَّهُ وَقَالَ: «الصَّوْتُ صَوْتُ يَعْقُوبَ، أَمَّا الْيَدَانِ فَهُمَا يَدَا عِيسُو».

He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him.

وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ لأَنَّ يَدَيْهِ كَانَتَا مُشْعِرَتَيْنِ كَيَدَيْ أَخِيهِ عِيسُو، فَبَارَكَهُ،

“Are you really my son Esau?” he asked.

“I am,” he replied.

وَسَأَلَ: «هَلْ أَنْتَ ابْنِي عِيسُو؟» فَأَجَابَ: «أَنَا هُوَ».

Then he said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.”

Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «قَدِّمْ لِي مِنْ صَيْدِكَ حَتَّى آكُلَ وَأُبَارِكَكَ». فَأَحْضَرَ يَعْقُوبُ إِلَيْهِ الطَّعَامَ فَأَكَلَ ثُمَّ قَدَّمَ لَهُ خَمْراً فَشَرِبَ،

Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”

فَقَالَ لَهُ إِسْحاقُ أَبُوهُ: «تَعَالَ وَقَبِّلْنِي يَا وَلَدِي».

So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,

لِتَخْدُمْكَ الشُّعُوبُ، وَتَسْجُدْ لَكَ الْقَبَائِلُ، لِتَكُنْ سَيِّداً عَلَى إِخْوَتِكَ. وَبَنُو أُمِّكِ لَكَ يَنْحَنُونَ. وَلْيَكُنْ لاعِنُوكَ مَلْعُونِينَ، وَمُبَارِكُوكَ مُبَارَكِينَ».

After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting.

وَلَمَّا فَرَغَ إِسْحاقُ مِنْ مُبَارَكَةِ يَعْقُوبَ، وَخَرَجَ يَعْقُوبُ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَبِيهِ، رَجَعَ عِيسُو مِنْ صَيْدِهِ،

He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, “My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”

فَجَهَّزَ هُوَ أَيْضاً أَطْعِمَةً طَيِّبَةً وَأَحْضَرَهَا إِلَى أَبِيهِ وَقَالَ: «لِيَقُمْ أَبِي وَيَأْكُلْ مِنْ صَيْدِ ابْنِهِ فَتُبَارِكَنِي نَفْسُكَ».

His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”

“I am your son,” he answered, “your firstborn, Esau.”

فَقَالَ إِسْحاقُ: «مَنْ أَنْتَ؟» فَأَجَابَهُ: «أَنَا ابْنُكَ بِكْرُكَ عِيسُو».

Isaac trembled violently and said, “Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him—and indeed he will be blessed!”

فَارْتَعَدَ إِسْحاقُ بِعُنْفٍ وَقَالَ: «مَنْ هُوَ إِذاً الَّذِي اصْطَادَ صَيْداً وَأَحْضَرَهُ إِلَيَّ فَأَكَلْتُ مِنَ الْكُلِّ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَجِيءَ، وَبَارَكْتُهُ؟ وَحَقّاً يَكُونُ مُبَارَكاً».

When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me—me too, my father!”

فَمَا إِنْ سَمِعَ عِيسُو كَلامَ أَبِيهِ حَتَّى أَطْلَقَ صَرْخَةً هَائِلَةً وَمُرَّةً جِدّاً وَقَالَ: «بَارِكْنِي أَنَا أَيْضاً يَا أَبِي».

But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.”

فَأَجَابَ: «لَقَدْ مَكَرَ بِي أَخُوكَ وَسَلَبَ بَرَكَتَكَ».

Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob^[a]? This is the second time he has taken advantage of me: He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!” Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”

فَقَالَ: «أَلَمْ يُدْعَ اسْمُهُ يَعْقُوبَ؟ لَقَدْ تَعَقَّبَنِي مَرَّتَيْنِ: أَخَذَ بَكُورِيَّتِي، وَهَا هُوَ يَسْلُبُنِي الآنَ بَرَكَتِي». ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَمَا احْتَفَظْتَ لِي بِبَرَكَةٍ؟»

Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?”

فَأَجَابَ إِسْحاقُ: «لَقَدْ جَعَلْتُهُ سَيِّداً لَكَ، وَصَيَّرْتُ جَمِيعَ إِخْوَتِهِ لَهْ خُدَّاماً، وَبِالْحِنْطَةِ وَالْخَمْرِ أَمْدَدْتُهُ. فَمَاذَا أَفْعَلُ لَكَ الآنَ يَا وَلَدِي؟».

Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.

فَقَالَ عِيسُو: «أَلَكَ بَرَكَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَطْ يَا أَبِي؟ بَارِكْنِي أَنَا أَيْضاً يَا أَبِي». وَأَجْهَشَ عِيسُو بِالْبُكَاءِ بِصَوْتٍ عَالٍ.

His father Isaac answered him,

بِسَيْفِكَ تَعِيشُ وَلأَخِيكَ تَكُونُ عَبْداً، وَلَكِنْ حِينَ تَجْمَحُ تُحَطِّمُ نِيرَهُ عَنْ عُنْقِكَ».

يعقوب يهرب إلى لابان

Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

وَحَقَدَ عِيسُو عَلَى يَعْقُوبَ مِنْ أَجْلِ مَا نَالَهُ مِنْ بَرَكَةِ أَبِيهِ. فَنَاجَى نَفْسَهُ: «قَرِيباً يَمُوتُ أَبِي، وَبَعْدَئِذٍ أَقْتُلُ أَخِي يَعْقُوبَ».

When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you.

فَبَلَغَ رِفْقَةَ وَعِيدُ عِيسُو ابْنِهَا الأَكْبَرِ، فَأَرْسَلَتْ وَاسْتَدْعَتْ يَعْقُوبَ ابْنَهَا الأَصْغَرَ وَقَالَتْ لَهُ: «عِيسُو يُخَطِّطُ لِقَتْلِكَ.

Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran.

وَالآنَ يَا ابْنِي أَصْغِ لِقَوْلِي، وَقُمِ اهْرُبْ إِلَى أَخِي لابَانَ إِلَى حَارَانَ،

Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides.

وَامْكُثْ عِنْدَهُ أَيَّاماً قَلائِلَ رَيْثَمَا يَهْدَأُ سُخْطُ أَخِيكَ.

When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I’ll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

وَمَتَى سَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ وَنَسِيَ مَا صَنَعْتَ بِهِ، عِنْدَئِذٍ أَبْعَثُ إِلَيْكَ لِتَعُودَ مِنْ هُنَاكَ. فَلِمَاذَا أُحْرَمُ مِنْكُمَا كِلَيْكُمَا فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ؟».

Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”

ثُمَّ قَالَتْ رِفْقَةُ لإِسْحاقَ: «قَدْ كَرِهْتُ حَيَاتِي مِنْ جَرَّاءِ الْبَنَاتِ الْحِثِّيَّاتِ، فَإِنْ تَزَوَّجَ يَعْقُوبُ مِنِ الْحِثِّيَّاتِ بَنَاتِ هَذِهِ الأَرْضِ الْمُمَاثِلاتِ لِزَوْجَتَيْ عِيسُو، فَإِنَّ مَوْتِي خَيْرٌ مِنْ حَيَاتِي».