Justin Houtz

Genesis 27-28; Psalm 4; Luke 11

DateVersionReading Plan
January 11, 2026ESV (2016)ESV Life Journal Plan – 2026

Genesis 27-28

Observation & Interpretation

Application

Gen. 27:7 – Rebekah’s recounting of Isaac’s request of Esau to hunt for game and prepare delicious food for him is slightly different than Isaac’s actual recorded words to Esau in vv. 3-5. Isaac said, “that my soul may bless you before I die”, but Rebekah said, “that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die”, including the blessing of Esau before the LORD.

Gen. 27:20 – When Isaac asked Jacob how he so quickly found the game to give to Isaac, Jacob said that it was because “the LORD your God granted me success”. The depth of Jacob’s lie and deception of his father is seen here, going as far as incorporating God Himself.

  • Jacob uses God’s covenant name, yhwh (Yahweh), in his lie and refers to Yahweh as his father’s God, not yet his own (see 28:21; 32:22–32).

Gen. 27:35 – Isaac identified Esau’s brother as the one who deceived him into thinking he was interacting with Esau. Esau further refines this identification by rhetorical question in v. 36 by asking, “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” Jacob’s name means He takes by the heal or he cheats, the latter of which reflects a rightful description of Jacob in his deception of Isaac.

Gen. 28:8-9 – When Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please his father, Isaac, Esau took Mahalath, daughter of Ishmael, as a wife, in addition to the wives he already had.

  • [Esau was inspired] to try to regain his father’s blessing by marrying a daughter of Ishmael. It was a case of doing evil (multiplying wives) that good may come. (BBC)

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