I haven't gone back and researched it, but since Esau gave up his birthright to Jacob, shouldn't the blessing have been his anyway as the new "first born" son?
Right, they would seem to go together, but in the text they don't. I'm not sure from the text that Abraham knows about the birthright deal between the brothers, so that could explain it. Another speculation would be that Isaac simply wants to give the bless to Esau as the older brother.
I haven't gone back and researched it, but since Esau gave up his birthright to Jacob, shouldn't the blessing have been his anyway as the new "first born" son?
Right, they would seem to go together, but in the text they don't. I'm not sure from the text that Abraham knows about the birthright deal between the brothers, so that could explain it. Another speculation would be that Isaac simply wants to give the bless to Esau as the older brother.