"Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, 'My son.' And he answered him, 'Here I am.' Then he said, 'Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die'" (Gen. 27:1-4).

There is a significant chronological gap at the end of Genesis 26 of about 36 or 37 years. Here Isaac is described as old. How old was he? He would have been either 136 or 137 years old at this time, I believe. The chronology is complex but both traceable and surprising:

• Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh and explained his dream (41:46).
• Joseph was 39 when he revealed himself to his brothers (cf. 45:11; 7 years of plenty & 2 years of famine had passed).
• Jacob moved to Egypt soon after Joseph's identity was revealed; thus, Joseph was either 39 or 40 years old at this time.
• Jacob was 130 when he moved to Egypt (47:9).
• Hence, Jacob was either 90 or 91 years old when Joseph was born.
• Jacob fathered his first 11 sons (with 4 different women) during the second 7-year-period he worked for Laban (cf. 29:30ff; 31:41).
• Joseph was born at the end of this 7-year-period, so Jacob would have been 83 or 84 at the beginning of that period.
• Thus, Jacob married Leah and Rachel at 83 or 84 years of age!
• This means he started working for Laban at 76 or 77 years of age.
• Furthermore, it tells us that he deceived his father at about that same age, since he quickly left for Laban's house afterward.
• Finally, if Jacob was 76 or 77 years old when he deceived his father, then Isaac would have been 136 or 137 years old (25:26).

Although Isaac is old, he would live another 43 or 44 years beyond this point (35:28). His death was not perhaps as near as he supposed. Regardless, he desires to bless his firstborn son, Esau, at this time. He requests that Esau hunt and prepare food for him as he enjoyed so much. Esau seems happy to comply. Isaac loved Esau and his hunted game to such a degree that he was willing to overlook Esau's foolish bartering away of his birthright and his wicked connection with the Canaanites (via marriage). In consideration of what God had previously revealed, this shows weakness on Isaac's part and poor judgment (though there are flaws seen in every character in this narrative).

"Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it. So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, 'Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, "Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death." Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death'" (Gen. 27:5-10).

When Esau went out to the field to hunt, Rebekah springs into action with a devious plan. She had overheard the conversation between Isaac and Esau, and she intended to secure the blessing for the son she loved most--Jacob (cf. 25:28)! She commands her son to go along with her plot to deceive his father. She wants him to pretend to be Esau and serve him food that she will prepare with his help! They must act quickly, however, since Esau would not necessarily be gone for a long period of time.