Wesley Corpus

Chapter XXVII We have here, Isaac's purpose to entail the blessing upon Esau, ver. 1 - 4. Rebekah's plot to procure it for Jacob, ver. 6 - 17. Jacob's obtaining of the blessing, ver. 18 - 29. Esau's resentment of this. In which, His importunity with his father to obtain a blessing, ver. 30 - 40. His enmity to his brother for defrauding him, ver. 41 - 46. Here is Isaac's design to declare Esau his heir. The promise of the Messiah and the land of Canaan was a great trust first committed to Abraham, inclusive and typical of spiritual and eternal blessings; this by divine direction he transmitted to Isaac. Isaac being now old, and either not knowing, or not duly considering the divine oracle concerning his two sons, that the elder should serve the younger, resolves to entail all the honour and power that was wrapt up in the promise upon Esau, his eldest son. He called Esau - Tho' Esau, had greatly grieved his parents by his marriage, yet they had not expelled him, but it seems were pretty well reconciled to him. I am old, and know not the day of my death - How soon I may die. Take me some venison that I may; bless thee - Esau must go a hunting and bring some venison. In this he designed not so much the refreshment of his own spirits, as the receiving a fresh instance of his son's, filial duty and affection to him, before he bestowed this favour upon him. That my soul may bless thee before I die - Prayer is the work of the soul, and not of the lips only; as the soul must be employed in blessing God, Psa 103:1, so it must be in blessing ourselves and others: the blessing will not go to the heart, if it do not come from the heart. Rebekah is here contriving to procure the blessing for Jacob, which was designed for Esau. If the end was good, the means were bad, and no way justifiable.