Genesis 27

Isaac has gone blind. We would assume that sound becomes ever more important to him. But oddly enough it his other senses that he trusts. The story tells of Isaac tasting, smelling and touching. And it is through this that Isaac and consequently Esau is deceived.

Isaac seems unable to recognise either of his sons’ voices. It is his wife Rebekah who hears everything, either through direct eavesdropping or through the ears of another.

Esau wants some blessing but Isaac doesn’t have any. He has sounded them all to Jacob. Jacob the Grasper has stolen the sounds meant for Esau. Through his mother who eavesdrops, itself a form of stealing sound, Jacob completes the ultimate Grasping. But this sound is now too dangerous for him and he needs to flee. And he flees with a misdirected sound from his mother’s lips.

This chapter is filled the sound of misdirection and misappropriation.