But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jacob's fear isn't about the morality of the deception, but the practical risk of being caught. He's worried about the physical proof – his smooth skin versus Esau's hair – which could expose their scheme and bring a curse instead of a blessing.
But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Rebekah overhears her husband Isaac planning to bless their elder son Esau, a plan that goes against God's prior promise that Jacob would be the elder. Eager to secure the promised blessing for Jacob, Rebekah devises a deceptive scheme, instructing Jacob to impersonate Esau by wearing goat skins to mimic his hairiness and cooking Esau's favored game. Jacob expresses his fear to his mother that Isaac will discover the deception and curse him instead of blessing him, revealing his inner conflict about the plan.
Jacob's words reveal a key concern – not about the morality of the plan, but about its success. Why the anxiety?
Jacob's immediate reaction to his mother's plan isn't a moral outcry against deception, but a practical worry about being discovered. He points out the physical differences between himself and Esau: 'Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.'
This highlights his fear of failure. If Isaac touches him, he'll seem like a deceiver and risk bringing a curse instead of a blessing upon himself. This shows Jacob wasn't necessarily driven by pure faith in God's promise, but by a complex mix of desire for the blessing and fear of the consequences of a botched scheme.
His concern is about the outward appearance and the risk of getting caught, rather than the inherent wrongness of the act itself. This reveals a tension in Jacob's heart: he wants the promised inheritance, but he's also relying on human cunning rather than fully trusting God's provision.
Rebekah jumps into the scheme with fierce determination, even offering to bear the curse herself. What drives this radical step?
Rebekah's response to Jacob's fear is striking: 'Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.' She takes on the full weight of the potential curse, a profound and dangerous declaration.
This reveals her deep conviction that God's promise to favor the younger son (Jacob) was immutable. She likely understood the spiritual significance of Isaac's blessing, perhaps more than Isaac himself at that moment. Her faith in God's spoken word overrides natural caution and even the potential consequences for herself.
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However, while her faith in God's decree is strong, her method is flawed. She uses deceit to ensure the blessing goes to Jacob, effectively trying to force God's hand through human manipulation. This illustrates how even strong faith can become entangled with sinful actions when we try to control the outcome.
The plan succeeds, but the act of deception casts a long shadow over Jacob's life. What does this teach us about the consequences of our choices?
The scheme works: Jacob receives the intended blessing. However, the 'smoothness' of Jacob and the 'hairiness' of Esau become symbols of the deception that paved the way.
This event is not just a narrative detail; it sets in motion a chain of consequences. Esau's intense hatred for Jacob, Rebekah's eventual separation from her beloved son, and Jacob's own years of fear and flight – all stem from this moment.
It shows that even when God's ultimate purposes are being worked out, the methods we use matter. Deception, even when employed to secure a promised blessing, creates rifts, fear, and lasting sorrow. The story serves as a powerful reminder that while God is sovereign, our choices have real and often painful repercussions.
Jacob's immediate concern is not the morality of the act, but the physical difference between himself and Esau, highlighting his fear of detection and the potential for a curse rather than the spiritual implications of deceit.
c. 1800 BC
Birth of Jacob and Esau
Jacob and Esau, twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah, are born. Esau, the elder, is noted for being hairy, while Jacob is smooth-skinned.
c. 1770 BC
Esau Sells His Birthright
Esau, returning famished from the field, sells his birthright to Jacob for a pot of stew, demonstrating his disregard for its spiritual significance.
c. 1770 BC— this verse
Isaac's Eyes Dim
Isaac, now advanced in years and losing his sight, prepares to bestow the patriarchal blessing upon his elder son, Esau.
c. 1770 BC
Rebekah and Jacob Deceive Isaac
Rebekah overhears Isaac's plan and, with Jacob's complicity, disguises him as Esau to fraudulently obtain the blessing intended for the firstborn.
c. 1770 BC
Esau Discovers the Deception
Upon returning and learning that Jacob has received the blessing, Esau cries out bitterly, revealing the deep animosity between the brothers.
c. 1770 BC
Jacob Flees to Haran
Fearing Esau's wrath, Jacob flees to his uncle Laban in Haran, a journey orchestrated by Rebekah to protect Jacob and fulfill God's decree.
This verse highlights that promises are made to Abraham and his offspring, not to many descendants, which is a foundational concept for understanding why the blessing was so significant and why Jacob's claim was ultimately upheld despite the deception.
Romans 9:11-13This passage directly references the story of Jacob and Esau, emphasizing that God's purpose is not based on human action but on His sovereign call, providing a theological framework for why Jacob received the blessing despite the flawed means.
Hebrews 12:16-17This passage explicitly uses Esau's story as a warning against despising sacred things, showing the grave consequences of his lack of reverence for the birthright and blessing, which casts further light on the seriousness of this moment in Genesis.
2 Corinthians 5:20This verse speaks of being 'ambassadors for Christ,' which can be seen as a parallel to Isaac's role as a patriarch imparting a divinely significant blessing, even when flawed by human weakness.
calvinGenesis 27:1-46: "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I."
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it
Ribca autem audiebat, dum loqueretur Ishac ad Esau filium suum: et perrexit Esau in agrum, ut venaretur venationem, ut afferret.
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob h…
pulpitGenesis 27:11: "And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:"
Verse 11. - And Jacob (who was not yet such an adept at trickery as he afterwards became, and who, if he had no scruples of conscience in either imposing on a senile parent or despoiling an open-hearted brother, was yet averse to being detected in his frauds, as deceivers usually are) said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man (vide Genesis 25:25) and I a…
Jacob's fear isn't about the morality of the deception, but the practical risk of being caught. He's worried about the physical proof – his smooth skin versus Esau's hair – which could expose their scheme and bring a curse instead of a blessing.
Rebekah overhears her husband Isaac planning to bless their elder son Esau, a plan that goes against God's prior promise that Jacob would be the elder. Eager to secure the promised blessing for Jacob, Rebekah devises a deceptive scheme, instructing Jacob to impersonate Esau by wearing goat skins to mimic his hairiness and cooking Esau's favored game. Jacob expresses his fear to his mother that Isaac will discover the deception and curse him instead of blessing him, revealing his inner conflict about the plan.
Rebekah overhears her husband Isaac planning to bless their elder son Esau, a plan that goes against God's prior promise that Jacob would be the elder. Eager to secure the promised blessing for Jacob, Rebekah devises a deceptive scheme, instructing Jacob to impersonate Esau by wearing goat skins to mimic his hairiness and cooking Esau's favored game. Jacob expresses his fear to his mother that Isaac will discover the deception and curse him instead of blessing him, revealing his inner conflict about the plan.
"But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man." — Jacob's fear isn't about the morality of the deception, but the practical risk of being caught. He's worried about the physical proof – his smooth skin versus Esau's hair – which could expose their s…
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Last reviewed October 2026