Study Notes Week 27

Read
Aloud together to hear the Word (Leviticus 23:1-3; Nehemiah 8:1-4; Luke 4:16-17)

27:1 When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, “My son?” He said to him, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “See now, I am old. I don't know the day of my death. 3 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me wild game. 4 Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.” 5 Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for wild game, and to bring it. 6 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7 ‘Bring me wild game, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you to the face of YHWH to the face of my death.' 8 Now therefore, my son, hear in my voice according to that which I command you. 9 Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves. 10 You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you to the face of his death.” 11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only hear in my voice, and go get them for me.” 14 He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15 Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son. 16 She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck. 17 She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18 He came to his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my wild game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He said, “Because YHWH your Elohim gave me success.” 21 Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He didn't recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” 25 He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's wild game, that my soul may bless you.” He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank. 26 His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.” 27 He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a [full]^(LXX) field which YHWH has blessed. 28 [The Elohim]^(MTT) give you of the dew of the heavens, of the fatness of the land, and plenty of grain and new wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.” 30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the face of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son's wild game, that your soul may bless me.” 32 Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” He said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Isaac trembled a great trembling and many more, and said, “Who, then, is he who has taken wild game, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed.” 34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, my father.” 35 He said, “Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.” 36 He said, “Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing.” He said, “Haven't you reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have just one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father!” [And Isaac being vexed,]^(LXX) Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. 39 Isaac his father answered him, “Behold, your dwelling will be of the fatness of the land, and of the dew of the heavens from above. 40 You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.” 41 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 The words of Esau, her elder son, were made known to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, hear in my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran. 44 Stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away— 45 until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?” 46 Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”

Torah Portion Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

Genesis 25 & 26 Review

1. Genesis 25:27-34 The boys grew. Esau was a knowing hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a perfect man, living in tents. 28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his wild game. Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.” 32 Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau devalued his birthright.
   1. Birthright (and firstborn) = בְּכוֹר bekor (H1060) means “firstborn” of the womb of a woman or animal (cf. Leviticus 27:26; Deuteronomy 15:19) and בִּכּוּר bikur (H1061) means “firstfruits” of the crop (cf. Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 26:2); both Hebrew words signify the chosen or elected as belonging to YHWH. בִּכּוּר bikur comes from the root word בָּחַר bachar (H977) which means “to choose” in the sense of an examination to select, or elect, the choicest. בָּחַר bachar is equivalent to the Greek word ἐκλεκτός eklektos (G1588) means to be elected, chosen, or selected.
   2. 2 Chronicles 21:1-3 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city; and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver, of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.

1. Genesis 26:34-35 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife oman Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They were a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and Rebekah.
   1. Jubilees 25:1-23 And in the second year of this week in this jubilee, [2109 A.M.] Rebecca called Jacob her son, and spake unto him, saying: “My son, do not take thee a woman of the daughters of Canaan, as Esau, thy brother, who took him two wives of the daughters of Canaan, and they have embittered my soul with all their unclean deeds: for all their deeds are fornication and coveting, and there is no righteousness with them, for (their deeds) are evil. 2. And I, my son, love thee exceedingly, and my heart and my affection bless thee every hour of the day and watch of the night. 3. And now, my son, hearken to my voice, and do the will of thy mother, and do not take thee a woman of the daughters of this land, but only of the house of my father, and of my father’s kindred. Thou wilt take thee a woman of the house of my father, and the Most High Elohim will bless thee, and thy children will be a righteous generation and a holy seed.” 4. And then spake Jacob to Rebecca, his mother, and said unto her: “Behold, mother, I am nine weeks of years old, and I neither know nor have I touched any woman, nor have I betrothed myself to any, nor even think of taking me a woman of the daughters of Canaan. 5. For I remember, mother, the words of Abraham, our father, for he commanded me not to take a woman of the daughters of Canaan, but to take me a woman from the seed of my father’s house and from my kindred. 6. I have heard before that daughters have been born to Laban, thy brother, and I have set my heart on them to take a woman from amongst them. 7. And for this reason I have guarded myself in my spirit against sinning or being corrupted in all my ways throughout all the days of my life; for with regard to coveting and fornication, Abraham, my father, gave me many commands. 8. And, despite all that he hath commanded me, these two and twenty years my brother hath striven with me, and spoken frequently to me and said: ‘My brother, take to wife a sister of my two wives’; but I refuse to do as he hath done. 9. I swear before thee, mother, that all the days of my life I will not take me a woman from the daughters of the seed of Canaan, and I will not act wickedly as my brother hath done. 10. Fear not, mother; be assured that I will do thy will and walk in uprightness, and not corrupt my ways for ever.” 11. And thereupon she lifted up her face to the heavens and extended the fingers of her hands, and opened her mouth and blessed the Most High Elohim, who had created the heavens and the land, and she gave Him thanks and praise. 12. And she said: “Blessed be the Lord Elohim, and may His holy name be blessed for ever and ever, who hath given me Jacob as a pure son and a holy seed; for He is Thine, and Thine will his seed be continually and throughout all the generations for evermore. 13. Bless him, O Lord, and place in my mouth the blessing of righteousness, that I may bless him.” 14. And at that hour, when the spirit of righteousness descended into her mouth, she placed both her hands on the head of Jacob, and said: 15. “Blessed art thou, Lord of righteousness and Elohim of the ages; And may He bless thee beyond all the generations of men. May He give thee, my son, the path of righteousness, And reveal righteousness to thy seed. 16. And may He make thy sons many during thy life, And may they arise according to the number of the new moons of the year. And may their sons become many and great beyond the stars of the heavens, And their numbers be more than the sand of the sea. 17. And may He give them this goodly land–as He said He would give it to Abraham and to his seed after him always — And may they hold it as a possession for ever. 18. And may I see (born) unto thee, my son, blessed children during my life, And a blessed and holy seed may all thy seed be. 19. And as thou hast refreshed thy mother’s spirit during †my† life, The womb of her that bare thee blesseth thee, [My affection] and my breasts bless thee And my mouth and my tongue praise thee greatly. 20. Increase and spread over the land, And may thy seed be perfect in the joy of the heavens and land for ever; And may thy seed rejoice, And on the great day of peace may it have peace. 21. And may thy name and thy seed endure to all the ages, And may the Most High Elohim be their Elohim, And may the Elohim of righteousness dwell with them, And by them may His sanctuary be built unto all the ages. 22. Blessed be he that blesseth thee, And all flesh that curseth thee falsely may it be cursed.” 23. And she kissed him, and said to him “May the Lord of the world love thee As the heart of thy mother and her affection rejoice in thee and bless thee.” And she ceased from blessing.

Genesis 27

1. Genesis 27:1-4 When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, “My son?” He said to him, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death. 3 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me wild game. 4 Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”
   1. This is in ~2114 A.M. (compare Jubilees 25:1 to 26:1) and Isaac is 132 years old. Isaac died at 180 years old (cf. Genesis 35:29) in ~2162 A.M. This blindness came 48 years before Isaac died, which is not normal for men mentioned in the Bible with the same condition.
      
      1. Genesis 48:8-14 Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom Elohim has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn’t see well. Joseph brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, Elohim has let me see your seed also.” 12 Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the land. 13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near to him. 14 Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wisely, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
      2. Deuteronomy 34:7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor his strength gone.
      3. 1 Samuel 3:1 – 4:18; 3:1 The boy Samuel ministered to YHWH before Eli. The word of YHWH was rare in those days. There were not many visions, then. 2 At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see… 4:15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old. His eyes were set, so that he could not see. 14:17-18 He who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of Elohim has been captured.”18 When he made mention of the ark of Elohim, Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
      4. 1 Kings 14:4 Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to Shiloh, and came to Ahijah’s house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were set by reason of his age.
      5. Psalms 90:10 The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.
   2. Exodus 4:11 YHWH said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, [Elohim]?^(LXX) 
2. Genesis 27:5-10 Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for wild game, and to bring it. 6 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7 ‘Bring me wild game, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you to the face of YHWH to the face of my death.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, hear in my voice according to that which I command you. 9 Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves. 10 You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you to the face of his death.”
   1. “…to the face of YHWH to the face of my death…”
      1. Mostly translated as “in front of” or “before,” the term לִפְנֵי lifnei (H6440) literally translates as, “to the face(s) of” where the prefix לִ li means “to”, פָּנִים paniym (H6440) means “faces”, and the suffix נֵי nei means “of”.
      2. Mostly translated as “in front of” or “before,” the term לִפְנֵי lifnei (H6440) literally translates as, “to the face(s) of” where the prefix לִ li means “to”, פָּנִים paniym (H6440) means “faces”, and the suffix נֵי nei means “of”.
      3. מוּת muth (H4191) means to die and is concretely represented as a man. The first time is used in Torah is in Genesis 2:17, where the word is used twice at the end of the verse: “מוֹת תָּמוּת mot tamut” which literally translates to, “die you died” because the prefix תָּ (tav with kamatz vowel point) in Hebrew is a second person masculine singular suffix that means “you did”. The Greek Septuagint uses θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε thanáto apothaneísthe (G2288 and G599) which literally translates to, “you will die by death.” Thus, the Septuagint faithfully represents the original Hebrew unlike the vast majority of Bible translations which translate to “מוֹת תָּמוּת mot tamut” to “you will surely die”. It’s common among translators of Biblical Hebrew to assume that repeating a Hebrew word twice in a row can be used to emphasize a concept, like saying “מְאֹד מְאֹד maod maod” in Genesis 7:19 (very very) to mean “very or exceedingly much” or “אָמֵן אָמֵן amen amen” in Numbers 5:22 or John 14:12 sometimes translates to “Most certainly I tell you…” However, the word מוֹת mot in Genesis 1:27 is not actually used twice, but has a variation of the word as תָּמוּת tamut which means “you died”. Interesting fact: מוּת muth is where the English word “mute” (not uttering words, or not having the power of utterance) or “moot” (an irrelevant, hypothetical case used for practice by law students, i.e. “moot point”)
   2. “Hear in my voice” – Often translated as “obey or listen to my voice” שְׁמַע בְּקֹלִי shema beqoli (H8085 + H6963) is literally translated, “hear in my voice”
3. Genesis 27:11-12 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.”
   1. Leviticus 19:14 Do not belittle the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you will fear your Elohim. I am YHWH [your Elohim].^(LXX)
   2. Deceiver = תָּעַע t’a’a (H8591) means to cause another to err or go astray through deception or influence.
   3. Only used 2 times in the Bible in Genesis 27:12 and 2 Chronicles 36:16 “but they mocked the messengers of Elohim, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of YHWH arose against his people, until there was no remedy.”
   4. Genesis 27:12 (Septuagint) Peradventure my father may feel me, and I shall be before him as one ill-intentioned or despised (G2706), and I shall bring upon me a curse, and not a blessing.
      1. καταφρονέω kataphroneō (G2706) means to contemn, despise, disdain, think little or nothing of
4. Genesis 27:13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only hear in my voice, and go get them for me.”
   1. Commonly translated as “curse”, “blaspheme”, or “revile” קַלֵּל qalel (H7043) means to regard or portray as less impressive or important; to be light in weight; to belittle in the sense of making light.
5. Genesis 27:14-25 He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15 Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son. 16 She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck. 17 She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18 He came to his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my wild game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He said, “Because YHWH your Elohim gave me success.” 21 Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He didn’t recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” 25 He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s wild game, that my soul may bless you.” He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.
6. Genesis 27:26-29 His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.” 27 He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a [full]^(LXX) field which YHWH has blessed. 28 [The Elohim]^(MTT) give you of the dew of the heavens, of the fatness of the land, and plenty of grain and new wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
7. Genesis 27:30-34 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the face of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s wild game, that your soul may bless me.” 32 Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” He said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Isaac trembled a great trembling and many more, and said, “Who, then, is he who has taken wild game, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed.” 34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, my father.”
8. Genesis 27:35-36 He said, “Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.” 36 He said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing.” He said, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”
9. Genesis 27:37-38 Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have just one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father!” [And Isaac being vexed,]^(LXX) Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
10. Genesis 27:39-40 Isaac his father answered him, “Behold, your dwelling will be of the fatness of the land, and of the dew of the heavens from above. 40 You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.”
11. Genesis 27:41-45 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 The words of Esau, her elder son, were made known to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, hear in my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran. 44 Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away— 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”
12. Genesis 27:46 Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”
    1. Genesis 26:34-35 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife oman Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They were a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and Rebekah.
       1. Genesis 25:19-23 And these are the birthings of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham brought forth Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife. 21 Isaac interceded to the LORD^(LXX)(mss) for his wife, because she was barren. [And his Elohim listened],^(LXX) and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The sons struggled together within her. She said, “If it is like this, why do I live?” She walked to seek [Elohim].^(LXX) 23 [He]^(LXX) said to her, “Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.”
          1. Jubilees 19:13-31 And in the sixth week, in the second year thereof, [2046 A.M.] Rebecca bare to Isaac two sons, Jacob and Esau, and Jacob was a smooth and upright man, and Esau was fierce, a man of the field, and hairy, and Jacob dwelt in tents. 14. And the youths grew, and Jacob learned to write; but Esau did not learn, for he was a man of the field and a hunter, and he learnt war, and all his deeds were fierce. 15. And Abraham loved Jacob, but Isaac loved Esau. 16. And Abraham saw the deeds of Esau, and he knew that in Jacob should his name and seed be called; and he called Rebecca and gave commandment regarding Jacob, for he knew that she (too) loved Jacob much more than Esau. 17. And he said unto her: “My daughter, watch over my son Jacob, For he will be in my stead on the land, And for a blessing in the midst of the children of men, And for the glory of the whole seed of Shem. 18. For I know that the Lord will choose him to be a people for possession unto Himself, above all peoples that are upon the face of the land. 19. And behold, Isaac my son loveth Esau more than Jacob, but I see that thou truly lovest Jacob. 20. Add still further to thy kindness to him, And let thine eyes be upon him in love; For he will be a blessing unto us on the land from henceforth unto all generations of the land. 21. Let thy hands be strong And let thy heart rejoice in thy son Jacob; For I have loved him far beyond all my sons. He will be blessed for ever, And his seed will fill the whole land. 22. If a man can number the sand of the land, His seed also will be numbered. 23. And all the blessings wherewith the Lord hath blessed me and my seed will belong to Jacob and his seed alway. 24. And in his seed will my name be blessed, and the name of my fathers, Shem, and Noaḥ̣, and Enoch, and Mahalalel, and Enos, and Seth, and Adam. 25. And these will serve To lay the foundations of the heavens, And to strengthen the land, And to renew all the luminaries which are in the firmament.” 26. And he called Jacob before the eyes of Rebecca his mother, and kissed him, and blessed him, and said: 27. “Jacob, my beloved son, whom my soul loveth, may Elohim bless thee from above the firmament, and may He give thee all the blessings wherewith He blessed Adam, and Enoch, and Noaḥ̣, and Shem; and all the things of which He told me, and all the things which He promised to give me, may He cause to cleave to thee and to thy seed for ever, according to the days of the heavens above the land. 28. And the spirits of Mastema will not rule over thee or over thy seed to turn thee from the Lord, who is thy Elohim from henceforth for ever. 29. And may the Lord Elohim be a father to thee and thou the first-born son, and to the people alway. Go in peace, my son.” 30. And they both went forth together from Abraham. 31. And Rebecca loved Jacob, with all her heart and with all her soul, very much more than Esau; but Isaac loved Esau much more than Jacob.