37Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?”
38Esau said to his father, “Do you have just one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father.” Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39Isaac his father answered him, “Behold, your dwelling will be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of the sky from above.
40You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.”
37 Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?”
38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have just one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father.” Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39 Isaac his father answered him, “Behold, your dwelling will be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of the sky from above.
40 You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.”
KJVKing James Version
37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
Show all 3 translations
JPSJPS Tanakh (1917)
37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau: 'Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him; and what then shall I do for thee, my son?'
38 And Esau said unto his father: 'Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father.' And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him: Behold, of the fat places of the earth shall be thy dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from above;
40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose, that thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.
Genesis 27:28(v39)God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.
2 Kings 8:20-22(v40)In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. Then Joram passed over to Zair, and all his…
Genesis 25:23(vv37, 40)Yahweh said to her, “Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the…
Hebrews 11:20(v39)By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
2 Samuel 8:14(vv37, 40)He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to…
Show all 28 cross-references
2 Chronicles 25:11-12(v40)Amaziah took courage, and led his people out, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir. The children…
Hebrews 12:17(v38)For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind…
Genesis 27:28-29(v37)God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow…
2 Chronicles 21:8(v40)In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
2 Chronicles 21:10(v40)So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had…
2 Chronicles 28:17(v40)For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives.
Romans 9:10-12(v37)Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac. For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that…
Genesis 27:34(v38)When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me…
Genesis 32:6(v40)The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
Genesis 36:6-8(v39)Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, with his livestock, all his animals, and all his…
Joshua 24:4(v39)I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it. Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.
1 Kings 11:15-17(v40)For when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom (for Joab and…
2 Kings 14:7(v40)He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.
2 Kings 14:10(v40)You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your…
1 Chronicles 18:11-13(v40)King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, from Moab,…
Psalms 60:8(v40)Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my sandal on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia.”
Obadiah 1:17-21(v40)But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions. The house of…
Genesis 27:36(v38)He said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my…
Genesis 49:28(v38)All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them, and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to…
Proverbs 1:24-26(v38)Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; but you have ignored all my…
Isaiah 32:10-12(v38)For days beyond a year you will be troubled, you careless women; for the vintage will fail. The harvest won’t come. Tremble, you women who…
Isaiah 65:14(v38)Behold, my servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry for sorrow of heart, and will wail for anguish of spirit.
Matthew 10:34(v40)“Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.
28 distinct cross-references across this passage (30 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (17 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
John Calvin1540 · Public DomainOn vv37–4037. Behold, I have made him thy Lord. Isaac…
37. Behold, I have made him thy Lord. Isaac now more openly confirms what I have before said, that since God was the author of the blessing, it could neither be vain nor evanescent. For he does not here magnificently boast of his dignity, but keeps himself within the bounds and measure of a servant, and denies that he is at liberty to alter anything. For he always considers, (which is the truth,) that when he sustains the character of God’s representative, it is not lawful for him to proceed further than the command will bear him. Hence, indeed, Esau ought to have learned from whence he had fallen by his own fault, in order that he might have humbled himself, and might rather have joined himself with his brother, in order to become a partaker of his blessing, as his inferior, than have desired anything separately for himself. But a depraved cupidity carries him away, so that he, forgetful of the kingdom of God, pursues and cares for nothing except his own private advantage. Again, we must notice Isaac’s manner of speaking, by which he claims a certain force and efficacy for his benediction, as if his word carried with it dominion, abundance of corn and wine, and whatever else God had promised to Abraham. For God, in requiring the faithful to depend on himself alone, would nevertheless have them to rest securely upon the word, which, at his command, is declared to them by the tongue of men. In this way they are said to remit sins, who are only the messengers and interpreters of free forgiveness.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn vv37, 38, 40For Isaac did this as he was the minister…
For Isaac did this as he was the minister and Prophet of God.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv37–40Gen 27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau,…
Gen 27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
Ver. 37. I have made him thy Lord.] {See Trapp on "Gen 27:29"} This Isaac did, as he was the minister and prophet of God.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv37–40The blessing of Abraham is not at my disposal,…
The blessing of Abraham is not at my disposal, but God’s, who hath manifested his mind and will by my error; it cannot be divided into several hands, nor imparted to one, who, though my son, yet hath made himself unworthy of it.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv37–40And Isaac answered and said unto Esau,.... Giving an…
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau,.... Giving an account of the blessing be had bestowed upon his brother:
behold, I have made him thy lord; the lord of his posterity, who would be subdued and become tributary to his seed:
Read full note →
and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; the Edomites, who sprung from his brother Esau, who, according to this prophetic blessing, became servants to David, who was a son of Jacob's; see Gill on Gen 27:29,
and with corn and wine have I sustained him; promised him a fruitful country, the land of Canaan, abounding with all good things, particularly with corn and wine, which are put for all the rest:
and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? what is there remains? what can be bestowed upon thee? there is nothing left; dominion over others, even over all nations, yea, over thyself and thy posterity, and plenty of all good things, are given already to Jacob; what is there to be done for thee, or thou canst expect?
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn v39Esau likewise obtained a blessing: yet it was far…
Esau likewise obtained a blessing: yet it was far short of Jacob's.
1. In Jacob's blessing the dew of heaven is put first, as that which he most valued and desired: in Esau's the fatness of the earth is put first, for that was it which he had the principal regard to.
Read full note →
2. Esau hath these, but Jacob hath them from God's hand. God give thee the dew of heaven, ver. 28. It was enough to have the possession, but Jacob desired it by promise.
3. Jacob shall have dominion over his brethren, for the Israelites often ruled over the Edomites. Esau shall have dominion, he shall gain some power, but shall never have dominion over his brother: we never find that the Jews were sold into the hands of the Edomites, or that they oppressed them. But the great difference is, that there is nothing in Esau's blessing that points at Christ, nothing that brings either him or his into the church, and without that the fatness of the earth, and the plunder of the field, will stand him in little stead. Thus Isaac by faith blessed them both, according as their lot should be.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv37, 40Verse 37. I have made him thy lord] See…
Verse 37. I have made him thy lord] See Clarke on Ge 27:28.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn v39Gen 27:39. The fatness of the earth — Mount…
Gen 27:39. The fatness of the earth — Mount Seir, the heritage of Esau, was a fertile place, refreshed with dews and showers. By thy sword shalt thou live — That is, thou shalt be warlike, and live upon spoil. This was remarkably fulfilled both in Esau himself, and his posterity. He was a cunning hunter, a man of the field, and his descendants got possession of mount Seir by force and violence, expelling thence the Horites, the former inhabitants, Deu 2:22. They were almost continually at war with the Jews, both before and after the Babylonish captivity. Josephus says, they were so fond of broils, that they went to war as others would do to a banquet. Thou shalt serve thy brother — God never permitted the Edomites to lord it over the Israelites, although he made use of almost all the other neighbouring nations successively to oppress them. When thou shalt have dominion — Shalt gain strength, become powerful, and appoint a king of thy own. Thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck — “When the sons of Jacob,” says the Jerusalem Targum here, “attend to the law, and observe the precepts, they shall impose a yoke of servitude upon thy neck; but when they shall turn away themselves from studying the law, and neglect the precepts, behold, then thou shalt shake off the yoke of servitude.” This is no bad exposition of the passage: for it was David who brought the Edomites under the yoke, and in his time the Jews in a great degree observed the law. But in the reign of Jehoram, when they were very corrupt, “the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, making themselves a king,” 2Ch 21:8; 2Ch 21:10. We may observe here, although Esau obtained a blessing, it was far short of Jacob’s. There is nothing in it that points at Christ, nothing that brings either Esau or his posterity into the Church of God, and without that, “the fatness of the earth” and the plunder of the field will stand him in little stead. Thus Isaac, by faith, blessed them both according as their lot should be. And surely the exact accomplishment of these prophetic declarations, which were fulfilled many hundreds of years after the death of Moses who recorded them, must, if properly considered, give us a high idea of the Holy Scriptures, and convince us that they are truly the words of that BEING who knoweth the end from the beginning.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary1859 · Public DomainOn vv37, 39, 40Brethren, or relations; (Menochius) for Isaac had no other…
Brethren, or relations; (Menochius) for Isaac had no other children but these two. He never married any other woman but the beautiful and virtuous Rebecca. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown1871 · Public DomainOn v39Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the…
Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth--The first part is a promise of temporal prosperity, made in the same terms as Jacob's [Gen 27:28] --the second part refers to the roving life of hunting freebooters, which he and his descendants should lead. Though Esau was not personally subject to his brother, his posterity were tributary to the Israelites, till the reign of Joram when they revolted and established a kingdom of their own (Kg2 8:20; Ch2 21:8-10).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv39–4039. His father answered — Isaac’s words now again…
39. His father answered — Isaac’s words now again take the form of prophecy, and, moved by the grief of his beloved son, and strong desire on his own part, he says:
Behold, of the fatness of the land shall be thy dwelling,
Read full note →
And of the dew of the heavens from above,
And upon thy sword shalt thou live,
And thy brother shalt thou serve,
And it shall be when thou shalt rove at large
That thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
The fatness… of the dew — These expressions are precisely like those used in the blessing of Jacob, (Gen_27:28,) only reversed as to their order. But many of the best interpreters explain the preposition מן, as here used in a privative sense, away from, afar from the fatness and the dew, etc. This would give the whole oracle a double or doubtful meaning, one common expression, meaning in Jacob’s case a blessing and in Esau’s a curse. We exceedingly doubt that any such double entente is to be found in the prophecies of the Bible. It would imply a sort of duplicity on the part both of Isaac and of God, who inspired him to prophesy. It is true that God laid waste the mountains and heritage of Esau, (Mal_1:3,) but this is also true of the mountains and heritage of Israel at this day; so that we might argue a like double intente in Isaac’s words to Jacob. Gen_27:28. But Esau as well as Jacob for a long time enjoyed the blessing of fertile lands and refreshing dews, so that, in part, the brothers received like favours.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv38–4038. but one blessing] Esau’s words shew the importance…
38. but one blessing] Esau’s words shew the importance attached to the blessing invoked by the dying head of the family. Isaac’s words in the preceding verse, coupled with Esau’s exclamation, imply that there was only one blessing. Esau knows that the blessing once given cannot be recalled.
wept] Cf. Gen_21:16. “Those tears of Esau, the sensuous, wild, impulsive man,—almost like the cry of some ‘trapped creature,’ are among the most pathetic in the Bible” (Davidson, Hebrews, 242).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn vv38–40(38) Hast thou but one blessing?—Only one son could…
(38) Hast thou but one blessing?—Only one son could inherit the spiritual prerogatives of the birthright, and the temporal lordship which accompanied it. And even lower earthly blessings would avail little if Esau’s descendants were to be subject to the dominion of the other brother’s race. With some mitigation, then, of his lot Esau must now be content.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv37–40And Isaac answered and said unto Esau (repeating the…
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau (repeating the substance of the Messing already conferred on Jacob), Behold, I have made him thy lord, literally, behold, a lord (vide on ver. 29) have I constituted him to thee; Isaac hereby intimating that in pronouncing the words of blessing he had been speaking under a celestial impulse, and therefore with absolute authorityand all his brethren have I given to him for servants (for the fulfillment vide, (2Sa_8:14) and with corn and wine have I sustained him: i.e. declared that by these he shall be sustained or supported (cf. ver. 28)and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield1917 · Public DomainOn v38and Esau
and Esau
Esau wept because of a lost advantage, but "found no way to change his mind, though he sought it carefully with tears" Heb 12:17 so far may regret or remorse be from true repentance:
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On vv38–39Have you not even one blessing for me, my…
Have you not even one blessing for me, my father
This can be stated in positive form. "My father, do you have one more blessing for me"
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv37–40 37. Behold, I have made him thy Lord. Isaac…
37. Behold, I have made him thy Lord. Isaac now more openly confirms what I have before said, that since God was the author of the blessing, it could neither be vain nor evanescent. For he does not here magnificently boast of his dignity, but keeps himself within the bounds and measure of a servant, and denies that he is at liberty to alter anything. For he always considers, (which is the truth,) that when he sustains the character of God’s representative, it is not lawful for him to proceed further than the command will bear him. Hence, indeed, Esau ought to have learned from whence he had fallen by his own fault, in order that he might have humbled himself, and might rather have joined himself with his brother, in order to become a partaker of his blessing, as his inferior, than have desired anything separately for himself. But a depraved cupidity carries him away, so that he, forgetful of the kingdom of God, pursues and cares for nothing except his own private advantage. Again, we must notice Isaac’s manner of speaking, by which he claims a certain force and efficacy for his benediction, as if his word carried with it dominion, abundance of corn and wine, and whatever else God had promised to Abraham. For God, in requiring the faithful to depend on himself alone, would nevertheless have them to rest securely upon the word, which, at his command, is declared to them by the tongue of men. In this way they are said to remit sins, who are only the messengers and interpreters of free forgiveness.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv37, 38, 40 For Isaac did this as he was the minister…
For Isaac did this as he was the minister and Prophet of God.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv37–40 Gen 27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau,…
Gen 27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
Ver. 37. I have made him thy Lord.] {See Trapp on "Gen 27:29"} This Isaac did, as he was the minister and prophet of God.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv37–40 The blessing of Abraham is not at my disposal,…
The blessing of Abraham is not at my disposal, but God’s, who hath manifested his mind and will by my error; it cannot be divided into several hands, nor imparted to one, who, though my son, yet hath made himself unworthy of it.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv37–40 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau,.... Giving an…
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau,.... Giving an account of the blessing be had bestowed upon his brother:
behold, I have made him thy lord; the lord of his posterity, who would be subdued and become tributary to his seed:
Read full note →
and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; the Edomites, who sprung from his brother Esau, who, according to this prophetic blessing, became servants to David, who was a son of Jacob's; see Gill on Gen 27:29,
and with corn and wine have I sustained him; promised him a fruitful country, the land of Canaan, abounding with all good things, particularly with corn and wine, which are put for all the rest:
and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? what is there remains? what can be bestowed upon thee? there is nothing left; dominion over others, even over all nations, yea, over thyself and thy posterity, and plenty of all good things, are given already to Jacob; what is there to be done for thee, or thou canst expect?
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v39 Esau likewise obtained a blessing: yet it was far…
Esau likewise obtained a blessing: yet it was far short of Jacob's.
1. In Jacob's blessing the dew of heaven is put first, as that which he most valued and desired: in Esau's the fatness of the earth is put first, for that was it which he had the principal regard to.
Read full note →
2. Esau hath these, but Jacob hath them from God's hand. God give thee the dew of heaven, ver. 28. It was enough to have the possession, but Jacob desired it by promise.
3. Jacob shall have dominion over his brethren, for the Israelites often ruled over the Edomites. Esau shall have dominion, he shall gain some power, but shall never have dominion over his brother: we never find that the Jews were sold into the hands of the Edomites, or that they oppressed them. But the great difference is, that there is nothing in Esau's blessing that points at Christ, nothing that brings either him or his into the church, and without that the fatness of the earth, and the plunder of the field, will stand him in little stead. Thus Isaac by faith blessed them both, according as their lot should be.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv37, 40 Verse 37. I have made him thy lord] See…
Verse 37. I have made him thy lord] See Clarke on Ge 27:28.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v39 Gen 27:39. The fatness of the earth — Mount…
Gen 27:39. The fatness of the earth — Mount Seir, the heritage of Esau, was a fertile place, refreshed with dews and showers. By thy sword shalt thou live — That is, thou shalt be warlike, and live upon spoil. This was remarkably fulfilled both in Esau himself, and his posterity. He was a cunning hunter, a man of the field, and his descendants got possession of mount Seir by force and violence, expelling thence the Horites, the former inhabitants, Deu 2:22. They were almost continually at war with the Jews, both before and after the Babylonish captivity. Josephus says, they were so fond of broils, that they went to war as others would do to a banquet. Thou shalt serve thy brother — God never permitted the Edomites to lord it over the Israelites, although he made use of almost all the other neighbouring nations successively to oppress them. When thou shalt have dominion — Shalt gain strength, become powerful, and appoint a king of thy own. Thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck — “When the sons of Jacob,” says the Jerusalem Targum here, “attend to the law, and observe the precepts, they shall impose a yoke of servitude upon thy neck; but when they shall turn away themselves from studying the law, and neglect the precepts, behold, then thou shalt shake off the yoke of servitude.” This is no bad exposition of the passage: for it was David who brought the Edomites under the yoke, and in his time the Jews in a great degree observed the law. But in the reign of Jehoram, when they were very corrupt, “the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, making themselves a king,” 2Ch 21:8; 2Ch 21:10. We may observe here, although Esau obtained a blessing, it was far short of Jacob’s. There is nothing in it that points at Christ, nothing that brings either Esau or his posterity into the Church of God, and without that, “the fatness of the earth” and the plunder of the field will stand him in little stead. Thus Isaac, by faith, blessed them both according as their lot should be. And surely the exact accomplishment of these prophetic declarations, which were fulfilled many hundreds of years after the death of Moses who recorded them, must, if properly considered, give us a high idea of the Holy Scriptures, and convince us that they are truly the words of that BEING who knoweth the end from the beginning.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv37, 39, 40 Brethren, or relations; (Menochius) for Isaac had no other…
Brethren, or relations; (Menochius) for Isaac had no other children but these two. He never married any other woman but the beautiful and virtuous Rebecca. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v39 Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the…
Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth--The first part is a promise of temporal prosperity, made in the same terms as Jacob's [Gen 27:28] --the second part refers to the roving life of hunting freebooters, which he and his descendants should lead. Though Esau was not personally subject to his brother, his posterity were tributary to the Israelites, till the reign of Joram when they revolted and established a kingdom of their own (Kg2 8:20; Ch2 21:8-10).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv39–40 39. His father answered — Isaac’s words now again…
39. His father answered — Isaac’s words now again take the form of prophecy, and, moved by the grief of his beloved son, and strong desire on his own part, he says:
Behold, of the fatness of the land shall be thy dwelling,
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And of the dew of the heavens from above,
And upon thy sword shalt thou live,
And thy brother shalt thou serve,
And it shall be when thou shalt rove at large
That thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
The fatness… of the dew — These expressions are precisely like those used in the blessing of Jacob, (Gen_27:28,) only reversed as to their order. But many of the best interpreters explain the preposition מן, as here used in a privative sense, away from, afar from the fatness and the dew, etc. This would give the whole oracle a double or doubtful meaning, one common expression, meaning in Jacob’s case a blessing and in Esau’s a curse. We exceedingly doubt that any such double entente is to be found in the prophecies of the Bible. It would imply a sort of duplicity on the part both of Isaac and of God, who inspired him to prophesy. It is true that God laid waste the mountains and heritage of Esau, (Mal_1:3,) but this is also true of the mountains and heritage of Israel at this day; so that we might argue a like double intente in Isaac’s words to Jacob. Gen_27:28. But Esau as well as Jacob for a long time enjoyed the blessing of fertile lands and refreshing dews, so that, in part, the brothers received like favours.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv38–40 38. but one blessing] Esau’s words shew the importance…
38. but one blessing] Esau’s words shew the importance attached to the blessing invoked by the dying head of the family. Isaac’s words in the preceding verse, coupled with Esau’s exclamation, imply that there was only one blessing. Esau knows that the blessing once given cannot be recalled.
wept] Cf. Gen_21:16. “Those tears of Esau, the sensuous, wild, impulsive man,—almost like the cry of some ‘trapped creature,’ are among the most pathetic in the Bible” (Davidson, Hebrews, 242).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv38–40 (38) Hast thou but one blessing?—Only one son could…
(38) Hast thou but one blessing?—Only one son could inherit the spiritual prerogatives of the birthright, and the temporal lordship which accompanied it. And even lower earthly blessings would avail little if Esau’s descendants were to be subject to the dominion of the other brother’s race. With some mitigation, then, of his lot Esau must now be content.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv37–40 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau (repeating the…
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau (repeating the substance of the Messing already conferred on Jacob), Behold, I have made him thy lord, literally, behold, a lord (vide on ver. 29) have I constituted him to thee; Isaac hereby intimating that in pronouncing the words of blessing he had been speaking under a celestial impulse, and therefore with absolute authorityand all his brethren have I given to him for servants (for the fulfillment vide, (2Sa_8:14) and with corn and wine have I sustained him: i.e. declared that by these he shall be sustained or supported (cf. ver. 28)and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v38 and Esau
and Esau
Esau wept because of a lost advantage, but "found no way to change his mind, though he sought it carefully with tears" Heb 12:17 so far may regret or remorse be from true repentance:
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv38–39 Have you not even one blessing for me, my…
Have you not even one blessing for me, my father
This can be stated in positive form. "My father, do you have one more blessing for me"
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translationWords
bless
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv37, 39 27:37 There was no going back. Isaac had declared…
27:37 There was no going back. Isaac had declared an oracle from God, who had made Jacob to be Esau’s master (see Rom 9:11-13).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.