In the Beginning:
The Book of Genesis

Lesson 16 Isaac Blesses Jacob; Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
the book of Genesis 27:1—28:22

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for the book of Genesis
cross references in the book of Genesis
next lesson: Jacob & Rachel

This material coordinates with Lesson 16 on pages 89–94 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.”—the book of Genesis 1:31—2:2

welcome to our in-depth study of the book of Genesis
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to free lesson videos, an online glossary, and a list of cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, charts, illustrations, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis has been granted an imprimatur and can be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the book of Genesis 25:1—26:35
In Lesson 15 The Brothers Esau & Jacob, Abraham takes another wife, Keturah, after Sarah’s death. She bears him six sons. Although Abraham gives gifts to Keturah’s children, he sends them away; Isaac remains Abraham’s heir. When Abraham dies, Isaac and Ishmael bury him with Sarah in the plot Abraham purchased near Shechem. Isaac’s wife Rebekah gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob. Esau, the eldest, is born a few minutes before Jacob. After the boys are grown, Esau trades his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew, and the biblical text records that Esau despised his birthright. During a famine, Isaac takes his family to Gerar where he passes off his wife Rebekah as his sister. The king of Gerar, Abimelech, who’d been interested in Rebekah, is horrified to learn that she’s Isaac’s wife. After an argument about some wells, Isaac moves on. He continues to prosper, which leads Abimelech to meet him near Beer-sheba and suggest they enter into covenant with each other, and Isaac agrees. Jacob’s brother Esau takes two Hittite wives, and they make life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.

map notes—twins pose a special problem
The map with this lesson shows Jacob’s route when he leaves his parents’ home in Beer-sheba to travel to Paddan-Aram in order to avoid being killed by his brother Esau. Although Esau plans to do away with Jacob, his intention is to wait until their father has died. Isaac was prompted to pass on the blessing when his death was thought to be imminent, but in reality Isaac won’t die for many years. Jacob and Esau’s fight over a blessing their father can impart to only one son points to a problem that Abraham avoided by sending away all of his sons who could have challenged Isaac’s right to inherit God’s blessing. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 93 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

Jacob’s concern about deceiving his father (21:15)
In the video overview for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses how the biblical text discloses that while Jacob is uncomfortable about participating in his mother’s plan to attain the patriarchal blessing for him, it isn’t because he has scruples. Rather, Jacob’s hesitation is based entirely on his worry that if he fails in an attempt to pass himself off as Esau, instead of receiving a blessing from his father he might be cursed by Isaac. It’s of interest that Rebekah, who came up with the plan to secure the blessing for Jacob instead of Esau, addresses Jacob’s fears by volunteering to accept any curse herself rather than have it fall on her favorite son. Isaac is portrayed as something of a doddering old man, and Jacob successfully receives the blessing. It’s noteworthy that Isaac’s allowed to choose which son will receive the blessing. It’s also of interest that once given, the blessing cannot be transferred. The videos for this study are being redone and will be posted as they become available. The original videos will remain accessible until then.


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study from Turning to God’s Word match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. You can follow along with the video overview as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 16, “Isaac Blesses Jacob; Jacob’s Dream at Bethel,” on pages 89–94 in the study book.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Isaac passing on God’s blessing?
It’s worth noting that in the twenty-seventh chapter in the book of Genesis, Isaac has no doubts whatsoever that he’s been given the ability to pass on God’s blessing to whichever son he chooses.

?  How did it come about that Isaac received the blessing directly from Abraham?
?  What might explain why it apparently isn’t essential that Isaac be dead before the blessing passes to one of his sons?
?  Why do you think it is that God gives control of this important blessing to Isaac when the same level of control wasn’t given to Abraham?
?  Can you think of a reason why Rebekah favors Jacob over Esau?
?  Consider whether Rebekah may simply be acting on information God told her regarding her sons shortly after the boys were conceived.
?  What do you expect will happen to Jacob as a result of receiving the blessing?
?  What do you expect will happen to Esau as a result of not receiving the blessing?

repentance—you could look it up in our archives
After Jacob receives the blessing intended for Esau, Jacob’s character changes, apparently the result of conversion. To learn about the word “repentance,” the key ingredient in conversion, read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

three examples of integrity, respect & honor
Even though the blessing has been given to Jacob as a result of deception, Isaac honors the integrity of the words and doesn’t attempt to take them back or to change them. In the book of Genesis 28:3–4, as Jacob is leaving home to go to Paddan-Aram, Isaac knowingly blesses his son Jacob again, and with intent. It’s obvious that Isaac has respect for the blessing from God that already has been passed to Jacob. That Esau doesn’t immediately kill Jacob but instead plans to wait until Isaac has died indicates the respect Esau has for his father. It’s impossible not to notice that Esau seems unconcerned about what effect the murder of Jacob might have on Rebekah, the boys’ mother.

In the book of Genesis 27:20, when asked by Isaac how he so quickly was able find game, Jacob credits Isaac’s God for granting him success. It’s telling that Jacob isn’t claiming to have a relationship with God—either as Esau, whom he’s pretending to be, or as himself.

the popes inspire us—ups & downs of the spiritual life
In “Ascending & Descending Love” on page 93 of In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, Pope Benedict XVI offers an explanation of the book of Genesis 28:10–22, the account of Jacob’s mysterious dream about a ladder to heaven. This includes an interpretation of the same passage by Pope St. Gregory the Great, who likened Jacob’s experience to that of Moses entering the tabernacle for dialogue with God and then emerging to be at the service of his people: “Within the tent Moses is borne aloft through contemplation; outside of it, he’s completely engaged in helping those who suffer.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Jacob’s ladder?
The book of Genesis 28:10–22 provides much material for meditation. This passage recounts Jacob’s encounter with God at Bethel, in which God seeks out Jacob after Jacob has received the blessing.

?  Why do you think it is that God chooses this particular time to appear to Jacob?
?  Consider whether it seems likely that God might have been attempting to get Jacob’s attention before this event. What evidence can you cite from the biblical text to support your viewpoint?
?  Why might God choose to appear in a dream instead of in a more direct fashion?
?  As a result of his dream, what conclusion does Jacob come to regarding God?
?  What conclusion does Jacob come to regarding time and space in connection with liturgical practices?
?  What vow does Jacob make to God?
?  Consider whether you expect God to honor this deal that Jacob proposes. Explain why or why not.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.

the book of Genesis 28:10–22—paragraph 2573

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons or places mentioned in the biblical text under more than one name or more than one spelling. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the biblical text for every lesson in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. A link to that list can be found at the top of every online study page; the list features links to cross references in the primary biblical text in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the book of Genesis 27:1—28:22 (NIV)

round black doveclose with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s text from the book of Genesis.

O God, you arranged for all the world to be blessed
through descendants of Abraham.
Help us to recognize your presence at unexpected times and in unexpected places,
and to honor any vows or deals that we attempt to make with you.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
through whom we are able to inherit
the greatest blessing of all—eternal life. Amen.

Lesson 17 Jacob & Rachel—the book of Genesis 29:1—30:43
Lesson 15 The Brothers Esau & Jacob—the book of Genesis 25:1—26:35

you also may like our study of the Gospel According to John
The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth, a 25-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines the Fourth Gospel’s view of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, with special emphasis on the institution of the sacraments of the Church as the means by which Christians are purified and made holy. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary, and takes a closer look at the way in which Jesus relates to individual men and women. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in our study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions and offer support. Contact us if you’d like to start a Turning to God’s Word study or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.