Jubilees 26

Travel back in time to the days of old with the book of Jubilees, a unique retelling of biblical history and a guide to righteous living. Written as a series of jubilee cycles, this text presents a chronological account of creation, the lives of the patriarchs, and the formation of Israel as a nation. Alongside historical narratives, Jubilees also jumps into legal and ritual matters, offering insights into the observance of the Sabbath, festivals, and dietary laws. Through its blend of history, theology, and legal instruction, Jubilees serves as a comprehensive guide to the divine plan for humanity, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's commandments and the enduring covenant between God and His people.

1And in the seventh year of this week Isaac called Esau, his elder Son, and said unto him: ' I am [2114 A.M.] old, my son, and behold my eyes are dim in seeing, and I know not the day of my death.
2And now take thy hunting weapons thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and hunt and catch me (venison), my son, and make me savoury meat, such as my soul loveth, and bring it to me that I may eat, and that my soul may bless thee before I die.'
3But Rebecca heard Isaac speaking to Esau.
4And Esau went forth early to the field to hunt and catch and bring home to his father.
5And Rebecca called Jacob, her son, and said unto him: 'Behold, I heard Isaac, thy father, speak unto Esau, thy brother, saying: "Hunt for me, and make me savoury meat, and bring (it) to me that
6I may eat and bless thee before the Lord before I die." And now, my son, obey my voice in that which I command thee: Go to thy flock and fetch me two good kids of the goats, and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loves, and thou shalt bring (it) to thy father that he may eat and bless thee before the Lord before he die, and that thou mayst be blessed.'
7And Jacob said to Rebecca his mother: 'Mother, I shall not withhold anything which my father would eat, and which would please him: only I fear, my mother, that he will recognise my voice and wish to touch me.
8And thou knowest that I am smooth, and Esau, my brother, is hairy, and I shall appear before his eyes as an evildoer, and shall do a deed which he had not commanded me, and he will be wroth with me, and I shall bring upon myself a curse, and not a blessing.'
9And Rebecca, his mother, said unto him: 'Upon me be thy curse, my son, only obey my voice.'
10And Jacob obeyed the voice of Rebecca, his mother, and went and fetched two good and fat kids of the goats, and brought them to his mother, and his mother made them ~savoury meat~ such as he loved.
11And Rebecca took the goodly rainment of Esau, her elder son, which was with her in the house, and she clothed Jacob, her younger son, (with them), and she put the skins of the kids upon his hands and on the exposed parts of his neck.
12And she gave the meat and the bread which she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob.
13And Jacob went in to his father and said: 'I am thy son: I have done according as thou badest me: arise and sit and eat of that which I have caught, father, that thy soul may bless me.'
14And Isaac said to his son: 'How hast thou found so quickly, my son?
15'And Jacob said: 'Because [the Lord] thy God caused me to find.'
16And Isaac said unto him: Come near, that I may feel thee, my son, if thou art my son Esau or not.'
17And Jacob went near to Isaac, his father, and he felt him and said: 'The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau,'
18and he discerned him not, because it was a dispensation from heaven to remove his power of perception and Isaac discerned not, for his hands were hairy as his brother Esau's, so that he blessed him.
19And he said: 'Art thou my son Esau? ' and he said: 'I am thy son': and he said, 'Bring near to me that I may eat of that which thou hast caught, my son, that my soul may bless thee.'
20And he brought near to him, and he did eat, and he brought him wine and he drank.
21And Isaac, his father, said unto him: 'Come near and kiss me, my son.
22And he came near and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his raiment, and he blessed him and said: 'Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a [full] field which the Lord hath blessed.
23And may the Lord give thee of the dew of heaven and of the dew of the earth, and plenty of corn and oil: let nations serve thee, and peoples bow down to thee.
24Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee; and may all the blessings wherewith the Lord hath blessed me and blessed Abraham, my father; be imparted to thee and to thy seed for ever: Cursed be he that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.'
25And it came to pass as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing his son Jacob, and Jacob had gone forth from Isaac his father he hid himself and Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting.
26And he also made savoury meat, and brought (it) to his father, and said unto his father: 'Let my father arise, and eat of my venison that thy soul may bless me.'
27And Isaac, his father, said unto him: 'Who art thou? 'And he said unto him: 'I am thy first born, thy son Esau: I have done as thou hast commanded me.'
28And Isaac was very greatly astonished, and said: 'Who is he that hath hunted and caught and brought (it) to me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him: (and) he shall be blessed, and all his seed for ever.'
29And it came to pass when Esau heard the words of his father Isaac that he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said unto his father: 'Bless me, (even) me also, father.'
30And he said unto him: 'Thy brother came with guile, and hath taken away thy blessing.' And he said: 'Now I know why his name is named Jacob: behold, he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birth-right, and now he hath taken away my blessing.'
31And he said: 'Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me, father?' and 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 plenty of corn and wine and oil have I strengthened him: and what now shall I do for thee, my son?'
32And Esau said to Isaac, his father: 'Hast thou but one blessing, O father? Bless me, (even) me also, father: '
33And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. And Isaac answered and said unto him: 'Behold, far from the dew of the earth shall be thy dwelling, and far from the dew of heaven from above.
34And by thy sword wilt thou live, and thou wilt serve thy brother. And it shall come to pass when thou becomest great, and dost shake his yoke from off thy neck, thou shalt sin a complete sin unto death, and thy seed shall be rooted out from under heaven.'
35And Esau kept threatening Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him, and he: said in his heart: 'May the days of mourning for my father now come, so that I may slay my brother Jacob.'