The Bible first mentions “fragrance” in connection with Noah’s sacrifice following the flood. He offers up a pacifying (a “noachic”) fragrance by turning animals to smoke (Genesis 8:21).
The next time there’s a fragrance, it’s Jacob dressed in borrowed clothing, seeking blessing from Isaac (Genesis 27:27). As Yahweh “smelled the smell” of Noah’s sacrifice, so Isaac “smells the smell” of the firstborn’s garment on the second-born’s body. Isaac corresponds to Yahweh, Jacob to Noah (or, more strictly, to Noah’s sacrifice). Sacrifice is clothing, a covering of fragrance that covers over out natural aroma.
It is poetically and theologically fitting that the verb “smell” puns with the noun “aroma.” Poetically because of the sound: Yahweh and Isaac both ruach a reyach . Theologically because the verb “smell” is spelled identically to the noun for breath, wind, Spirit. Yahweh’s ex halation is ruach but the same word is used for His in halation. And this suggests a running pun throughout the Old Testament: Wherever there is “fragrance,” breath/Spirit is lingering nearby. And this suggests another dimension of sacrifice: It is a clothing of fragrance because it is the clothing of Spirit.
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