Genesis 27:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe the careful nature of sacred Scripture. When Isaac inquired, “Are you my son Esau?” and he replied, “I am,” his father touched him and still felt uncertain, caught in confusion and doubt regarding his voice. He asked again, “Are you my son Esau?” to which he affirmed, “I am,” and presented him with food, and after he ate, it is recorded that he embraced him and bestowed his blessing upon him.

The prophet unmistakably predicts that no person will offer sacred words to the Father unless it is through the firstborn, the Son born of the Virgin. 'For he said, I am thy firstborn son.'

Embrace me, my child. The divinely inspired individuals do not perform this act simply as a token of affection, but rather as a tangible expression of the blessed fellowship of spirits (1 Kings 10:1).

Before bestowing his blessing, Isaac offered himself to Jacob as a sign of paternal affection. "And I smelled the stench of his garments." The garments that Jacob donned belonged to Esau, infused with the sweet aroma of the flowers and herbs from the fields he traversed while hunting: they were saturated with this delightful scent.