Di Blessing Wey Dem Steal

One old man stretch hand for darkness. Im eyes no dey work again. Im fingers touch one hand wey get plenty hair, and e frown. Di voice na Jacob voice, e talk quietly, but di hands na di hands of Esau.

Isaac don old now, and im eyes don dim sote e no fit see well. E believe say im life fit dey near di end. So e call im senior son. Esau. Take your bow and go out to di open country. Hunt bush meat for me, and cook di sweet food wey I like. Bring am make I chop, so dat I go bless you before I die. Esau carry im bow and go. But another person don dey listen. Rebekah.

Rebekah find Jacob, di one wey she love pass. Listen to me. Go di flock bring two fine young goats come. I go cook dem exactly di way your papa like am. Then you go carry di food go give am, and e go bless you instead of Esau. Worry catch Jacob, but no be whether e wrong. Na whether dem go catch am. Esau na man wey get plenty hair, and my skin smooth. Wetin if my papa touch me? E go know say I dey deceive am, and I go bring curse on top myself instead of blessing. Make di curse fall on top me, im mama talk. Just do wetin I talk. So she cook di food. She wear Jacob di best cloth of Esau. She cover im hands and di smooth part of im neck with goat skin. And she send am in.

My papa. I dey here. Who you be, my son? Na me be Esau, your first son. Di first lie. Sit up and chop, so dat you fit bless me. How you take find am so quick? Di Lord your God make am succeed for me. Di second lie, and dis one use God name. Come near, Isaac talk, make I touch you. E rub im hands on top di goat skin. Di voice na Jacob voice, but di hands na di hands of Esau. You be my son Esau for true? Na me. Isaac chop. Then e talk, Come here and kiss me. E smell di bush smell for Esau cloth, and e bless am. Make God give you di dew of heaven and di richness of di earth, plenty grain and new wine. Make nations serve you. Be lord over your brothers.

Jacob never even comot from di tent finish when Esau come back from hunting, e carry one dish wey dey hot. Papa, sit up and chop, so dat you fit bless me. Who you be? Na me be your son, your first son, Esau. And Isaac begin shake, e shake well well. Then who be di one wey bring bush meat come give me? I chop all before you come, and I bless am. And true true, e go dey blessed. When Esau hear dis one, e shout with loud and bitter cry. Bless me, me too, my papa! Your brother come with deceit and e take your blessing. No be correct name dem give am, Jacob? E don cheat me two times. First my birthright, and now my blessing. You no keep even one blessing for me? And Esau cry loud.

Isaac talk some words over Esau, but dem be harder words. E go live by di sword, and e go serve im brother, though one day e go break free. And Esau sorrow turn to hatred. Di days to mourn my papa don near, e talk for im mind. Then I go kill my brother Jacob. Somebody tell Rebekah. Again she make plan. Your brother dey plan revenge. Run go meet my brother Laban for Haran, and stay there for small time, until Esau vex cool down. Small time. Rebekah think say na only few days. As far as Genesis tell us, she no ever see her favourite son again.

Why Isaac no fit just take di blessing back? For di world of Genesis, di serious blessing of papa, especially di one wey e talk near di end of im life, pass just good wish. People understand am as word wey bind, wey pass from one generation to di next, wey dem talk for di front of God. Na why Isaac talk about Jacob say, and true true, e go dey blessed. Once e don give am, e stand. Di same pattern show later, when Jacob, wey don old too, bless im own sons and grandchildren.

Di Blessing Wey Dem Steal. Dem tell am for Genesis chapter twenty-seven. Every person for dis family plan wayo or dey choose favourite, and every one of dem pay price. And yet God no abandon dem; im promises go still move forward, through people wey need grace well well. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Any shortcut dey wey you dey tempted to take wey fit cost you pass wetin you think?