Twenty years had passed, and Rebekah had no children. Then the Lord said to her: Thou shalt bear two sons, and the elder shall serve the younger. When her time came, she bore twins; the first-born was hairy all over, and was called Esau, and the second was called Jacob. And the boys grew, and Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a quiet man dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob had boiled pottage and Esau came in from the field, feeling faint, Esau said: Give me, I pray thee, the pottage. Jacob answered: Sell me first thy birthright. And Esau said: Behold, I am about to die; what profit shall the birthright do to me? So he sold his birthright to Jacob for that pottage of lentils, and he did eat and drink, and rose up and went his way, and he despised his birthright. (Gen. 25:23-34.) 15. Jacob Obtains the Blessing When Isaac was old and nearly blind, he said one day to Esau: Take thy quiver and thy bow, go out to the field, and take me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat thereof and bless thee before I die. Rebekah, who heard this, told Jacob to go to the father in Esau’s stead and obtain the blessing. Jacob answered: My brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. My father may feel me, and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. But she persuaded him, killed two kids of the goats and made savory food, and she put the skins of the kids of goats upon Jacob’s hands and neck, and he went to his father and asked for the blessing. Isaac said: How is it that thou found it so quickly, my son? Jacob answered: The Lord thy God sent me good speed. Isaac said: Come nearer, my son, that I may feel thee. And he felt him and said: The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he did eat of Jacob’s food, and blessed him and set him as lord over his brother, as if he were the first-born, and said: Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be every one that blesseth thee. Jacob was scarce gone out before Esau came in from his hunting, made savory food, and brought it in to his father and said: Let my father eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me. Isaac said: Who art thou? Esau answered: I am Esau, thy first-born son. Then Isaac trembled exceedingly and said: Who then is he that hath taken venison and brought it to me, and I have eaten of it, and blessed him? and he shall be blessed. Esau answered: Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Bless even me also, O my father! And he lifted up his voice and wept. And Isaac said: By thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother.--Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing, and threatened to slay him when his father died. Then said Rebekah unto Jacob: Flee to my brother Laban, and tarry with him until thy brother’s fury turn away. (Gen. 27.) 16. Jacob Goes to Laban