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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 27:30 - 27:40
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Esau Returns and Receives the Younger Son's Blessing
v. 30. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting. It was just as Isaac had finished his blessing upon Jacob and the latter had just barely stepped out of the room that Esau returned from the chase.
v. 31. And he also had made savory meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison that thy soul may bless me. Esau, for once, was serious, and therefore lost no time in preparing the game which he had shot and taking it in to his father, with the humble request for the promised blessing.
v. 32. And Isaac, his father, said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy first-born, Esau.
v. 33. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? Where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed. Esau's simple statement, so obviously the truth, caused the greatest agitation in Isaac's manner; literally, he trembled a great trembling very exceedingly, and then broke out into various questions as to the identity of the person who had so cleverly obtained the chief blessing from him. But even before Isaac pronounces the name of Jacob, he must state that the blessing of the Lord will remain with him. It was not for him to withdraw the blessing which was in fact that of the Lord, and Isaac now realized that his fleshly preference for Esau could not be defended in the sight of God. No matter in what manner the blessing had been obtained, God had guided the affair so that Jacob now actually was the bearer of the patriarchal succession.
v. 34. And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. He now realized, when it was too late, what he had lost, what he had formerly foolishly despised. His words seem to indicate that he thought the blessing could still be divided.
v. 35. And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing. That was the human side of the happening, the deception, the error and sin which had crept into the business.
v. 36. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob (heel-catcher, supplanter) ? For he hath supplanted me these two times; he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. Esau was now in a state of mind which prevented his proper repentance, for there was no excuse for his selling his birthright. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Just as though Isaac was able to set aside such blessings at will.
v. 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? This was an attempt to explain the situation to Esau, to make it clear to him that there was only one patriarchal blessing, which included both the promise of the land of Canaan in its most fruitful form and the special lordship with its culmination in the person of the Messiah.
v. 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. It is to this scene that Heb_12:17 refers, for Esau could not persuade his father to reconsider his decision, although he made the effort with tears. His were in this case not tears of true repentance over his sin, but merely of bitterness over the result of his folly. This fact Isaac now understood.
v. 39. And Isaac, his father, answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven would Esau's dwelling place be, that is, away from the fruitful and fat fields of Canaan. There are some fertile valleys in the northeastern part of Idumea, where Esau and his descendants lived, but the greater part of Idumea is one of the dreariest and most sterile deserts in the world.
v. 40. And by thy sword shalt thou live, war, pillage, and robbery being almost necessary in the barren land which would be his habitation, 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. History shows that this prophecy was fulfilled. "Edom was at first strong and independent as compared to Israel, slower in its development (Num_20:14). Saul first fought against it victoriously (1Sa_14:47); David conquered it (2Sa_8:14). Then followed a conspiracy under Solomon (1Ki_11:14), whilst there was an actual defection under Joram. On the other hand, the Edomites were again subjected by Amaziah (2Ki_14:7; 2Ch_25:11) and remained dependent under Uzziah and Jotham (2Ki_14:22; 2Ch_26:2). But under Ahaz they liberated themselves entirely from Judah (2Ki_16:6; 2Ch_28:17). Finally, however, John Hyrcanus subdued them completely, and incorporated them into the Jewish state and people, whilst the Jews themselves, however, after Antipater, became subject to the dominion of an Idumean dynasty, until the downfall of their state. "