

2.18 The Blessing (Specifics)
Jacob received from Isaac the blessing of the first born (Gen 27:27-29), which contained in it many of the provisions of God's covenant with Abraham:
a. prosperity
b. other nations will bow down to him
d. he will rule over his brothers
e. those who curse him will be cursed, those who bless him will be blessed
Esau got only "the leftovers":
a. he shall dwell apart from fruitfulness
b. he shall live by the sword
c. he shall serve Jacob
d. he will finally break free from servitude
Freedom for Esau was prophesied, eventually, but not reconciliation. Division begun in the womb became the destiny of generations of descendants. "David conquered Edom and made it a vassal state (2 Sam 8:14), but Edom won its independence from Israel in the mid-9th cent. (2 Kings 8:22)" - Interpreter's 1-Vol Commentary, p.21.
Esau's response to being twice robbed is understandable:
He said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob" (Gen 27:41).
In desperate times, men take on the mantle of Cain, as Esau did here. But how did Rebekah expect him to act? Submit meekly to his disinheritance? She was the architect of this "embezzlement," now she had to deal with the consequences. And again, she had another scheme up her sleeve, this time to send Jacob to find refuge with her family. What is this prattle about patriarchy, and the iron rule of men? In the Bible, at least in early times, it is clearly women who ruled the roost, and shaped history according to their desires.
Before Jacob left for Haran, Isaac blessed him again (Gen 28:3-4):
a. many descendants
b. the blessing of Abraham
c. possession of the Promised Land
Here it was made explicit that Jacob was the inheritor of the family treasure: the blessing of Abraham. Also, Isaac told Jacob not to stay in Mesopotamia forever, for he would find his inheritance in Canaan.