Isaac Blesses Jacob and Esau

Jubilees 26:21–24, 33–34

Mid-2nd Century BCE

21[Jacob’s—Ed.] father Isaac said to him, “Come close and kiss me, my son.” He came close and kissed him. 22When he smelled the fragrant aroma of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Indeed the aroma of my son is like the aroma of a full field that the Lord has blessed.

23May the Lord grant to you and multiply for you
[your share] of the dew of heaven and the dew of the earth;
may he multiply grain and oil for you.
May the nations serve you,
and the peoples bow to you.
24Become lord of your brothers;
may the sons of your mother bow to you.
May all the blessings with which the Lord has blessed me and blessed my father Abraham
belong to you and your descendants forever.
May the one who curses you be cursed,
and the one who blesses you be blessed.” [ . . . ]

33Isaac said in reply to him [Esau—Ed.], “The place where you live is indeed to be [away] from the dew of the earth and from the dew of heaven above. 34You will live by your sword and will serve your brother. May it be that, if you become great and remove his yoke from your neck, then you will commit an offense fully worthy of death and your descendants will be eradicated from beneath the sky.”

Translated by James C. VanderKam.
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Notes

Words in brackets appear in the original translation unless otherwise indicated.

Credits

Jubilees 26:21–24, 33–34, trans. James C. VanderKam, in James C. VanderKam, Jubilees: A Commentary in Two Volumes, vol. 1, ed. Sidnie White Crawford, Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2018), pp. 742–43. Used with permission of 1517 Media.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.

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