Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Genesis Chapter 27
Metaphysically Interpreting Genesis 27:1-29
27:1And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him, My son. And he said unto him, Here am I. 27:2And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death. 27:3Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me venison. 27:4And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat. That my soul may bless thee before I die.
27:5And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 27:6And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 27:7Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless thee before Jehovah before my death. 27:8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. 27:9Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats. And I will make them savory food for thy father, such as he loveth. 27:10And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, so that he may bless thee before his death. 27:11And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 27:12My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver. And I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. 27:13And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son. Only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. 27:14And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother. And his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 27:15And Rebekah took the goodly garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son. 27:16And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck. 27:17And she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
27:18And he came unto his father, and said, My father. And he said, Here am I. Who art thou, my son? 27:19And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first-born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. 27:20And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because Jehovah thy God sent me good speed. 27:21And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. 27:22And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father. And he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 27:23And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. 27:24And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 27:25And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat. And he brought him wine, and he drank. 27:26And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. 27:27And he came near, and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said,
See, the smell of my son
Is as the smell of a field which Jehovah hath blessed.
27:28And God give thee of the dew of heaven,
And of the fatness of the earth,
And plenty of grain and new wine.
27:29Let peoples serve thee,
And nations bow down to thee.
Be lord over thy brethren,
And let thy mother's sons bow down to thee.
Cursed be every one that curseth thee,
And blessed be every one that blesseth thee.
April 6, 1913: Genesis 27:15-23
The development of man goes steadily forward. New phases of character are constantly being added and old ones toned down or eliminated. Isaac, the inner joyous life current, gradually builds up a body of great vitality, and also active mentality. These are represented as Jacob and Esau. They are twins, but Esau was slightly the older. Physical vigor comes first in this phase of development, but the mentality that accompanies it is a close second.
Rebekah, the mother-principle in which these states of mind were gestated and are still growing, desires the mental to take precedence of the animal, so she suggests through her inner imagery to the dominant consciousness, Isaac, that his blessing shall fall upon Jacob. This seems a trick upon the blind old father, but it is an Oriental illustration of how we are moved by subjective states of consciousness and, in our half blind understanding, accept them. The fact is that the soul is constantly suggesting to us in dreams, visions, and mental flashes. These suggestions are not always to be followed, they may be for our highest good and they may not. Spiritual understanding must determine this.
– UNITY magazine.
July 28, 1917: Genesis 27:15-23
27:15And Rebekah took the goodly garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son. -- Jacob represents the mentality, while Esau represents the animal consciousness.
27:16And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck. 27:17And she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. -- Rebekah, the mother-principle, desires the mental to take precedence over the animal in man, and gives to it her substance.
27:18And he came unto his father, and said, My father. And he said, Here am I. Who art thou, my son? -- The “blind father” represents the consciousness that thinks it has lost its clear concepts of Truth.
27:19And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first-born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. -- Eating always represents mental appropriation. “Venison” typifies the swiftness and freedom of ideas operating in mind.
27:20And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because Jehovah thy God sent me good speed. -- New phases of character are constantly being developed through the inspiration of Jehovah God.
27:21And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. 27:22And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father. And he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. -- The mentality (Jacob) is blessed in a union with the inner joyous life current, represented by Isaac.
27:23And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. -- A blessing is an outpouring of the best that is in one upon some cherished idea.
Metaphysically Interpreting Genesis 27:30-40
27:30And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 27:31And he also made savory food, and brought it unto his father. And he said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. 27:32And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy first-born, Esau. 27:33And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who then is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed. 27:34When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 27:35And he said, Thy brother came with guile, and hath taken away thy blessing. 27:36And he said, Is not he rightly name Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two time. He took away my birthright. And, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? 27:37And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants. And with grain and new wine have I sustained him. And what then shall I do for thee, my son? 27:38And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
27:39And Isaac his father answered and said unto him,
Behold, of the fatness of the earth shall be thy dwelling,
And of the dew of heaven from above.
27:40And by thy sword shalt thou live,
and thou shalt serve thy brother.
And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt break loose,
That thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.
November 15, 1942: Genesis 27:30-35
What is essential to successful family life from the standpoint of both the individual and the family? Truthfulness in the individual and a love of Truth that is common to all members of the family is essential.
Why would not Isaac bless his sons equally? Because their endowments were unlike. Esau represents the body or physical nature, and Jacob the intellect or mental nature. The requirements of the two differ.
What meaning has the statement that “when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry ... Bless me, even me also, O my father”? Isaac, the father of Esau and Jacob, represents joy. The body (Esau) cries out for the quickening influence of joy and requires to be blessed by this spiritual faculty, which is its rightful heritage, as it is that of the intellect (Jacob) also.
How does the intellect take away the blessing of the physical nature? By disregarding the claims of the body and putting the intellectual requirements first, as though nothing else mattered; the body is robbed of its rightful care and attention.
In what respect is it right that the mind should take precedence over the body? We should live rather for the things of the mind than for those of the bo
dy. The soul develops through the id's taking precedence and causing the body to conform to the divine law.Metaphysically Interpreting Genesis 27:41-46
27:41And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then will I slay my brother Jacob. 27:42And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah. And she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. 27:43Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. And arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran. 27:44And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away. 27:45Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him. Then I will send, and fetch thee from thence. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?
27:46And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
April 6, 1913: Genesis 27:41-45
Eating always represents mental affirmation. Isaac's desire for venison suggests an affirmation for swiftness, freedom, that unfettered range of expression that opens the way for character expansion. A blessing is an outpouring of the best that is in us upon some cherished ideal. When Isaac blessed Jacob, he gave to the mentality the dominant force of his character, and it was thereafter leader of all the faculties.
The threat of Esau against the life of Jacob represents that inward rebellion which we often feel when we change our modes of thought. To avoid a conflict the soul suggests that Jacob flee to her brother Laban at Haran. Laban means white, shining, gentle and Haran, mountainous country. This clearly indicates that the attention shall be located in exalted states of mind, and united with spiritual intelligence and non-resistance. Jacob grew rapidly in understanding and possessions in the land of Laban, and the choice was a good one for the man developing to the full stature of Christ Jesus.
July 28, 1917: Genesis 27:41-45
27:41And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then will I slay my brother Jacob. -- The animal consciousness (Esau), disturbed at the introduction of new thoughts in mind, seeks to slay the growth of the mentality (Jacob).
27:42And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah. And she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. -- Rebekah, the soul, desires to protect the mentality from the dominance of the animal man, represented by Esau.
27:43Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. And arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran. 27:44And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away. -- “Laban” means white, gentle; “Haran” means mountainous country. The soul suggests that the attention be located in exalted states of mind until the physical comes under the new order of thought.
27:45Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him. Then I will send, and fetch thee from thence. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day? -- When the rebellion of the physical against the mental ceases, and equilibrium of forces is established in the organism, spiritual intelligence and non-resistance are unified in the Divine consciousness.
May 23, 1937: Genesis 27:41-45
How should physical and material demands upon our time and thought be met? Following the lead of the soul (Rebekah) will fix our attention on exalted ideas. These ideas result in a quickened intelligence that makes us equal to solving our physical and material problems with the least expenditure of time and attention. Rebekah urged Jacob to flee to Laban (“gentle,” “noble”), to Haran (“exalted,” “mountaineer”), for safety.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 12-27-2013
