Gradually Rebekah left the care of Esau’s children to his wives and the servants while she retreated as often as possible to Isaac’s tent. Here it was usually peaceful and quiet, since he was now almost totally blind and saw only those who came on urgent business. He was feeling old and useless. “Surely a man in my situation cannot live long,” he kept saying.
As she had feared, he began to think about passing on his responsibilities and turning everything over to Esau as his firstborn. Rebekah now shamelessly listened whenever Esau visited his father, and it was on one such occasion that she heard the conversation she had been dreading.
“You see, my son,” she heard Isaac say, “I have grown old and sightless. I will soon be feeble and could die at any time. I would like you to take your quiver and your bow and go out into the field and get a young deer. When you have made that savory dish I love, bring it to me and I will eat and then give you the blessing I have promised.”
Rebekah’s hand flew to her mouth to stifle a startled cry. It was evident that Isaac had paid no attention to her reports of Esau’s many and irresponsible marriages. She shuddered to think that it would be Esau’s sons who would have the blessing of father Abraham. If she and Isaac had not insisted, Eliphaz and Reuel would not have been circumcised. Esau was more like her brother Laban, who could worship many gods and saw little benefit in limiting one’s chance of good luck to only one god.
She was behind the curtain that divided Isaac’s tent, and she must at all costs be quiet. It was against their tradition and custom for a woman, even a wife and mother, to eavesdrop on her husband’s private conversation. To appear uninvited on his side of the tent and interrupt a conversation was unthinkable. She quietly rose and nervously adjusted her headpiece and fingered the brass beads at her throat. Something must be done and quickly, but what? Isaac would not listen to her and Esau was determined to do as he pleased.
For a brief moment she toyed with the idea of trusting Elohim to work things out. It was so obvious that Jacob was the one to have the blessing. At the same time, she had to admit that even Jacob was not very interested in building altars or spending much time worshiping Elohim.
“At least he’s not encumbered with pagan wives and quarrelsome children,” she muttered as she impulsively decided to act. If Elohim had entrusted her with the message that it was Jacob who was to have the blessing, then surely He expected her to help bring it about.
Quickly she tiptoed out of the tent and sent a young boy to find Jacob. While she was waiting for him, she ordered a fire built and water brought. All the time she was gathering her spices, she was mulling over just what could be done.
By the time Jacob came, she was ready to explain everything. She first told him what she had heard. Then clutching his sleeve and searching his face with narrowed eyes, she said, “Now is the time to act. There’s no time for discussion. It’s obvious that you must pose as Esau. You will bring me two young kids from our herd, and I will quickly prepare the dish your father loves.”
When he had gone she hurried back to the simmering pot and, squatting down beside it began to think of anything that might possibly go wrong. Esau was hairy and Jacob was smooth. If Isaac suspected anything, he was sure to reach out and touch Jacob. He would embrace him and would surely notice the smell of fresh fields and dried herbs was missing. She must have Deborah bring one of the rough, hairy garments belonging to Esau. That still left the problem of his arms and neck being smooth without the bushy feel of Esau.
When Jacob came, he told Rebekah that he too had been thinking of all the difficulties. He saw no solutions. “My father can tell by my voice I am not Esau,” he said. “Now that he can’t see, he depends on how things feel, and he will notice right away that I am not hairy like Esau. He will judge me as a deceiver of the worst kind and instead of a blessing I’ll be cursed.”
Now Rebekah stood up, holding the stirring stick in one hand and brushing the damp strands of hair back with the other. Her voice was low and urgent. “Upon me and me alone be your curse,” she said. “Now go and prepare the goats and also bring me the skins. We must be quick about this business if we are to succeed.”
With that Jacob stumbled out of the tent strengthened by his mother’s fierce insistence. He captured the goats and prepared them in a trance. His mother would somehow come up with a plan, and he must go along or everything would be spoiled.
By the time the goats were simmering in the broth, Rebekah had formed a plan by which she could disguise Jacob. She sent Deborah to find one of Esau’s cloaks while she busied herself over the skins. The short, soft underskin of each goat’s belly was just right for her purpose. She scraped them clean and then told Jacob to hold out his arm. When he saw what she was going to do, he again objected. “This won’t work,” he said. “My father will know right away that we have tried to deceive him.”