29. May the nations serve you and many people bow down to you. You will rule over your brothers. Your mother’s sons will bow down to you and obey you. Whoever curses you will be cursed. Whoever blesses you will be blessed.”
30. Isaac finished blessing Jacob. Then, just as Jacob left his father Isaac, Esau came in from hunting.
31. Esau prepared the food in the special way his father loved. He brought it to his father and said, “Father, I am your son. Get up and eat the meat from the animals that I killed for you. Then you can bless me.”
32. But Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son—your first son—Esau.”
33. Then Isaac became so upset that he began to shake. He said, “Then who was it that cooked and brought me food before you came? I ate it all, and I blessed him. Now it is too late to take back my blessing.”
34. When Esau heard his father’s words, he became very angry and bitter. He cried out and said to his father, “Then bless me also, father!”
35. Isaac said, “Your brother tricked me! He came and took your blessing!”
36. Esau said, “His name is Jacob. That is the right name for him. He has tricked me twice. He took away my rights as the firstborn son. And now he has taken away my blessing.” Then Esau said, “Have you saved any blessing for me?”
37. Isaac answered, “I have already given Jacob the power to rule over you. And I said all his brothers would be his servants. I have given him the blessing for much grain and wine. There is nothing left to give you, my son.”
38. But Esau continued to beg his father. “Do you have only one blessing, father? Bless me also, father!” Esau began to cry.
39. Then Isaac said to him, “You will not live on good land. You will not have much rain.
40. You will have to fight to live, and you will be a slave to your brother. But when you fight to be free, you will break away from his control.”
41. After that Esau hated Jacob because of this blessing. Esau said to himself, “My father will soon die, and after we are finished with that, I will kill Jacob.”
42. Rebekah heard about Esau’s plan to kill Jacob. She sent for Jacob and said to him, “Listen, your brother Esau is planning to kill you.
43. So, son, do what I say. My brother Laban is living in Haran. Go to him and hide.
44. Stay with him for a short time until your brother stops being angry.