Genesis 27

Genesis 27 General Notes

Structure and formatting

Some translations set poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to show that it is poetry. The ULB does this with the poetry in 27:27-29 and in 27:39-40.

Special concepts in this chapter
Blessing

In the ancient Near East, a father's blessing was very important. This spoken blessing was legally binding. Jacob previously received the birthright from Esau and was guaranteed the double portion of land money that was supposed to be inherited by the older son, Esau. In this chapter, Jacob tricks Isaac into giving him Esau's blessing. This means that he is to inherit the promises of the covenant Yahweh made with Abraham. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#bless, /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#birthright, /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#inherit and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#promise and /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#covenant)

<< | >>

Genesis 27:1

his eyes were dim

This speaks about being nearly blind as if the eyes were a lamp and the light has nearly gone out. Alternate translation: "he was nearly blind" or "he was almost blind" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

Here I am

"I am here" or "I am listening." See how you translated this in Genesis 22:1.

Genesis 27:2

See now, I

The phrase "See now" indicates that what follows is a polite request for the hearer to pay attention. "Please listen carefully: I" See how you translated this phrase in Genesis 12:11.

I do not know the day of my death

It is implied that Isaac knows he will die soon. Alternate translation: "I may die any day now" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

death

This refers to physical death.

Genesis 27:3

General Information:

Isaac continues giving instructions to his older son Isaac.

your weapons

"your hunting equipment"

your quiver

A quiver is a case for holding arrows. Alternate translation: "your quiver of arrows" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

hunt game for me

"hunt a wild animal for me"

Genesis 27:4

Make delicious food for me, the sort that I love

The word "delicious" refers to something that tastes very good. Alternate translation: "Cook for me the tasty meat that I love" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

bless you

In Bible times, a father would often pronounce a formal blessing on his children.

Genesis 27:5

Connecting Statement:

This verse is background information for the description of the events that follow. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)

Now

This verse is background information for the description of the events that follow. The word "now" shows that the author is going to begin to talk about Rebekah and Jacob. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)

Rebekah heard it when Isaac spoke to Esau his son

"Rebekah heard Isaac speaking to his son Esau"

to Esau his son

Esau was the son of both Isaac and Rebekah. The author calls Esau "his son" to emphasize that Isaac preferred Esau over Isaac.

Genesis 27:6

Connecting Statement:

This verse continues the background information that begins with the words "Now Rebekah heard" in verse 5. It is background information for the description of the events that follow. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)

Rebekah spoke to Jacob

This verse continues the background information that begins with the words "Esau went ... bring it back" in verse 5. It is background information for the description of the events that follow. After Esau leaves, Rebekah speaks to Jacob because of what she has heard. "So when Esau went ... bring it back, Rebekah spoke to Jacob" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-connectingwords and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)

to Jacob her son

Jacob was the son of both Isaac and Rebekah. The author calls Jacob "her son" here to emphasize that Rebekah preferred Jacob over Esau.

See here

The phrase "see here" adds emphasis to what follows. Alternate translation: "Listen carefully"

Genesis 27:7

'Bring me game and make me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of Yahweh before my death.'

These are the words that the author introduces with the words "He said" in verse 6. This is a quotation within a quotation. It can be stated as an indirect quotation. "He told Esau to hunt a wild animal, and to make the tasty meat that he loves. Then before he dies, your father will bless Esau in the presence of Yahweh." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotesinquotes and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-quotations)

Bring me game

"Bring me a wild animal that you hunt and kill"

make me delicious food

"cook for me the tasty meat that I love." See how this was translated in Genesis 27:4.

bless you in the presence of Yahweh

"bless you before Yahweh"

before my death

"before I die"

Genesis 27:8

General Information:

Rebekah continues to speak to her younger son Jacob.

Now

This does not mean "at this moment," but is used to draw attention to the important point that follows.

obey my voice as I command you

Rebekah said "my voice" to refer to what she was saying. Alternate translation: "obey me and do what I tell you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

Genesis 27:9

I will make delicious food from them for your father, just like he loves

The word "delicious" refers to something that tastes very good. See how a similar sentence was translated in Genesis 27:4.

Genesis 27:10

You will take it to your father

"Then take it to your father"

so that he may eat it, so that he may bless you

"and after he eats it, he will bless you"

he may bless you

The word "bless" refers to the formal blessing a father pronounces on his children.

before his death

"before he dies"

Genesis 27:11

I am a smooth man

"I am a man with smooth skin" or "I am not hairy"

Genesis 27:12

I will seem to him as a deceiver

"he will think that I am a liar" or "he will know that I am deceiving him"

I will bring a curse upon me and not a blessing

Being cursed or blessed is spoken of as if a curse and a blessing are objects that are placed on a person. Alternate translation: "Then because of this, he will curse me and not bless me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

Genesis 27:13

My son, let any curse fall on me

"let your curse be on me, my son." Being cursed is spoken of as if the curse were on object that is placed on the person. Alternate translation: "let your father curse me instead of you, my son" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

obey my voice

Rebekah said "my voice" to refer to what she was saying. Alternate translation: "obey what I tell you" or "obey me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

bring them to me

"bring me the young goats"

Genesis 27:14

made delicious food, just like his father loved

The word "delicious" refers to something that tastes very good. See how a similar sentence was translated in Genesis 27:4.

Genesis 27:15

General Information:

This page has intentionally been left blank.

Genesis 27:16

She put the skins of the kids on his hands

The goat skins still had the hair on them.

Genesis 27:17

She put the delicious food and the bread that she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob

"She gave to her son Jacob the delicious food and bread which she had prepared"

Genesis 27:18

Here I am

"Yes, I am listening" or "Yes, what is it?" See how you translated this in Genesis 22:1.

Genesis 27:19

I have done as you said to me

"I have done what you told me to do"

some of my game

The word "game" refers to wild animals that someone hunts and kills. See how "game" was translated in Genesis 27:3.

Genesis 27:20

He said

"Jacob replied"

brought it to me

This is an idiom meaning that God caused it to happen. Alternate translation: "helped me to succeed while hunting" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

Genesis 27:21

whether you are my true son Esau or not

"if you are really my son Esau"

Genesis 27:22

Jacob went over to Isaac his father

"Jacob approached Isaac his father"

The voice is Jacob's voice

Here Issac speaks of Jacob's voice as representing Jacob. Alternate translation: "You sound like Jacob" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

but the hands are the hands of Esau

Here Issac speaks of Esau's hands as representing Esau. Alternate translation: "but your hands feel like Esau's hands" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

Genesis 27:23

General Information:

This page has intentionally been left blank.

Genesis 27:24

He said

Isaac asks this question before blessing his son. Alternate translation: "But first Isaac asked" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-events)

Genesis 27:25

eat of your game

The word "game" refers to a wild animal that people hunt and kill. See how "game" was translated in Genesis 27:7.

he drank

"Isaac drank it"

Genesis 27:26

General Information:

This page has intentionally been left blank.

Genesis 27:27

he smelled the smell of his clothes and blessed him

It can be made explicit that the clothes smelled like Esau's clothes. Alternate translation: "he smelled his clothes and they smelled like Esau's clothes, so Isaac blessed him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

he smelled

"Isaac smelled"

the smell

"the scent"

blessed him

"then he blessed him." This refers to the formal blessing a father pronounces on his children.

See, the smell of my son

The word "see" is used as an emphatic figure of speech to mean "it is true." Alternate translation: "Truly, the smell of my son"

that Yahweh has blessed

Here the word "blessed" means that Yahweh has caused good things to happen to the field and it has become fruitful. Alternate translation: "that Yahweh has caused to be very productive" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

Genesis 27:28

General Information:

This is Isaac's blessing. He thought he was speaking to Esau, but he was speaking to Jacob.

give you

Here "you" is singular and refers to Jacob. But the blessing would also apply to Jacob's descendants. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-you and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

dew of heaven

"Dew" is drops of water that form on the plants during the night. This can be made explicit in the translation. Alternate translation: "night mist from heaven to water your crops" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

fatness of the earth

Having fertile land is spoken of as if the earth were fat or rich. Alternate translation: "good soil for producing crops" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

plenty of grain and new wine

If "grain" and "wine" are unknown, this can be stated more generally. Alternate translation: "plenty of food and drink" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 27:29

you ... your

Here these pronouns are singular and refer to Jacob. But the blessing also applies to Jacob's descendants. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-you and /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

nations bow down

Here "nations" refers to the people. Alternate translation: "people from all nations bow down" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

bow down

This means to bend over to humbly express respect and honor toward someone. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-symaction)

Be master over your brothers

"Become a master over your brothers"

your brothers ... your mother's sons

Isaac is speaking this blessing directly to Jacob. But, it also applies to Jacob's descendants who will rule over the descendants of Esau and the descendants of any other of Jacob's brothers that he may have. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

may your mother's sons bow down to you

"your mother's sons will bow down to you"

May every one who curses you be cursed

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "May God curse everyone who curses you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

may every one who blesses you be blessed

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "May God bless everyone who blesses you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 27:30

had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father

"had just left the tent of Isaac his father"

Genesis 27:31

delicious food

"tasty meat that I love." See how this was translated in Genesis 27:3.

some of your son's game

Here "your son's" was a polite way of Esau referring to his own food he prepared. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-123person)

your son's game

The word "game" refers to wild animals that people hunt to eat. See how "game" was translated in Genesis 27:7.

bless me

This refers to the formal blessing a father pronounces on his children.

Genesis 27:32

said to him

"said to Esau"

Genesis 27:33

Isaac trembled

"Isaac began to shake"

hunted this game

Game refers to a wild animal that people hunt and kill. See how "game" was translated in Genesis 27:7.

Genesis 27:34

he cried with a very great and bitter cry

Esau's anguish was similar to the taste of something bitter. Alternate translation: "he cried loudly" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

Genesis 27:35

has taken away your blessing

This is a figure of speech meaning Jacob took what was Esau's. Alternate translation: "I have blessed him instead of you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

Genesis 27:36

Is he not rightly named Jacob?

Esau uses a question to emphasize his anger at Jacob. Alternate translation: "Jacob is certainly the right name for my brother!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)

Jacob

Translators may also add a footnote that says: "The name Jacob means 'he grasps the heel.' In the original language the name 'Jacob' also sounds like the word for 'he deceives.'"

He took away my birthright

This speaks about a birthright as if it were an object that a person could take away. Alternate translation: "What was once my birthright is now his because he tricked me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

now he has taken away my blessing

This speaks about a blessing as if it were an object that person could take away. Alternate translation: "now he has tricked you into blessing him instead of me" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

Have you not reserved a blessing for me

Esau knows that his father cannot bless him with the same things that he blessed Jacob. Esau is asking if there is anything left to say to him that Isaac did not say while blessing Jacob.

Genesis 27:37

What more can I do for you, my son?

Isaac uses a question to emphasize that there is nothing else he can do. Alternate translation: "There is nothing else I can do for you!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)

Genesis 27:38

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"

Genesis 27:39

said to him

"said to Esau"

Look, the place

"Pay attention, because what I am about to say is both true and important: the place"

far from the richness of the earth

This is a figure of speech referring to the earth's fertility. Alternate translation: "far from the fertile soil" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

dew of the sky above

"Dew" is drops of water that form on the plants during the night. This can be made explicit in the translation. Alternate translation: "the night mist from the sky to water your crops" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Genesis 27:40

your ... you

In 27:39-40 these pronouns are singular and refer to Esau, but what Isaac says also applies to Esau's descendants (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

By your sword you will live

Here "sword" stands for violence. Alternate translation: "You will rob and kill people in order to get what you need to live" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

you will break his yoke off of your neck

This speaks about someone having a master as if the master's control over the person were a yoke that the person had to carry. Alternate translation: "you will free yourself from his control" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

Genesis 27:41

Esau bore a grudge against Jacob

Esau believed that Jacob had wronged him, and so Esau did not want to forgive Jacob.

Esau said in his heart

Here "heart" stands for Esau himself. Alternate translation: "Esau said to himself" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-synecdoche)

days of mourning for my father are near

This refers to a number of days a person grieves when a family member dies.

Genesis 27:42

The words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Someone told Rebekah about Esau's plan" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-activepassive)

See

"Look" or "Listen" or "Pay attention to what I am about to tell you"

is consoling himself

"is making himself feel better"

Genesis 27:43

Now

This does not mean "at this moment," but is used to draw attention to the important point that follows.

flee to Laban

"leave here quickly and go to Laban"

Genesis 27:44

for a while

"for a period of time"

until your brother's fury subsides

"until you brother calms down"

Genesis 27:45

until your brother's anger turns away from you

No longer being angry is spoken of as if the anger turns to a different direction away from the person. Alternate translation: "until he is no longer angry with you" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metaphor)

Why should I lose you both in one day?

Rebekah uses a question to emphasize her concern. Alternate translation: "I do not want to lose both of you in one day!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)

I lose you both in one day

It is implied that if Esau kills Jacob, then they will execute Esau as a murderer. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

I lose

This is a polite way of referring to her sons dying. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-euphemism)

Genesis 27:46

I abhor life

Rebekah is exaggerating to emphasize how upset she is about the Hittite women that Esau married. Alternate translation: "I am terribly upset" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-hyperbole)

the daughters of Heth

"these Hittite women" or "descendants of Heth"

like these women, some of the daughters of the land

The phrase "daughters of the land" means the local females. Alternate translation: "like these women who live in this land" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

what good will my life be to me?

Rebekah uses a question to emphasize how upset she would be if Jacob marries a Hittite woman. Alternate translation: "My life will be awful!" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)