Bible Commentaries

old. About 137 years (same age as his brother Ishmael died at). He recovered and lived 43 years longer (Compare Genesis 35:28).

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

take me some venison. Hebrew hunt me some hunting. Figure of speech Polyptoton, and Metonymy (of Cause), by which venison, the result of hunting, is put for the hunting itself (from Latin venatio, a hunting). In Genesis 25:29 Esau missed his venison and lost his birthright. Was he now to miss it again and lose his blessing?

such as I love. See verses: Genesis 27:27, Genesis 27:9, Genesis 27:14 and Genesis 25:28.

my soul = myself. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

bless thee. He must have heard that he was to bless Jacob, for it was "by faith" he ultimately did so (Hebrews 11:20); and it came "by hearing" (Romans 10:17). "The will of the flesh" made him wish to bless Esau (Compare Genesis 27:4 with Genesis 25:28). But his faith in the end overcame "the will of the flesh" in him.

heard. Hebrew was listening.

spake. Hebrew was speaking

seem. He shrinks, not from the fraud, but from its detection.

goodly. Hebrew desires. Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Adjunct), App-6, put for the things desired or coveted (2 Chronicles 36:10. Isaiah 64:11. Lamentations 1:10).

raiment. All raiment in the East to this day marks the social rank and position of the wearer. Among the Bedouins, the chief and his eldest son wear a distinctive garment. This accounts for Jacob's desire here, and his act with Joseph (Genesis 37:3). Being the garment of the firstborn it doubtless denoted also his official and priestly position. Here, Hebrew. beged (compare Exodus 28:2, Exodus 28:4; Exodus 35:19. Leviticus 10:6; Leviticus 21:10), used of sacred things. Not the word rendered clothes in Deuteronomy 29:5. No wonder Esau is called "profane" when he sold this his birthright (Hebrews 12:16).

I am. Said perhaps because he had bought the birthright.

thy soul = thou. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

wine = Hebrew. yayin. See App-27.

now. Not an adverb of time, but an expletive in command, emphasising the solemnity of the command. It must have been at this point that Isaac's faith overcame "the will of the flesh", and made him resolve to bless Jacob, in spite of it.

corn. Put by Metonymy (of the Cause), App-6, for bread and solid food generally. Compare Lamentations 2:12.

wine. Hebrew. tirosh. See App-27. Usually combined with "corn", as put by Metonymy (of the Cause) for all liquids.

people. Hebrew peoples.

scarce gone out. Hebrew "going was gone". Figure of speech Polyptoton, for emph.; well represented by the word "scarce". See note on Genesis 26:28.

thy firstborn. Esau still claims what he had sold.

trembled very exceedingly. The Figure of speech Polyptoton is thus beautifully rendered, Hebrew "trembled a great trembling greatly. "See note on. Genesis 26:28. This trembling was not from doubt, or from the discovery (now made, verses: Genesis 27:26, Genesis 27:27), but on account of the difficulty into which it had brought him with a man of Esau's temperament.

Jacob. See on Genesis 25:21.

supplanted. Jacobed or over-reached me. See note on Genesis 25:26 with Genesis 32:28.

blessing. This "blessing" is the "it" of Hebrews 12:17.

thy lord = a mighty man unto thee. See App-14. Fulfilled in 2 Samuel 8:14.

wine. See note on Genesis 27:28 above.

wept. See Hebrews 12:17, but could not change his father's mind.

the fatness of the earth, and of. Hebrew of the fatness, &c. The "of", which is omitted in the first clause, is the preposition, which means "from". Revised Version margin away from. Compare Isaiah 22:3. Jeremiah 48:33. Lamentations 4:9. Should be "Far from the fatness of the earth shall be thy dwelling, and far from the dew of the heavens, "&c. Jacob had already received the blessing "of" the fatness of the earth or the land (Genesis 27:28). Esau's was to be far from it, in the desert; and so it was.

serve. See 1 Samuel 14:47. 2 Samuel 8:14. 2 Kings 8:20, and compare 1 Kings 22:47.

thou shalt break. Fulfilled in 2 Kings 8:20, 2 Kings 8:22.

at hand. Isaac mistaken, verses: Genesis 27:1, Genesis 27:2. Esau mistaken here.

flee thou. Hebrew flee for thyself.

Haran. See Genesis 11:31.

a few days. Rebekah mistaken, for he was there 20 years.

Until. Figure of speech Synonymia.

why. ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.

both. Jacob by Esau's hand, and Esau by the avenger of blood. Genesis 9:6.

daughters of Heth. Refers to Esau's wives. Genesis 26:34, Genesis 26:35.

what good. Figure of speech Erotesis, and Figure of speech Aposiopesis, App-6, Literally "Wherefore to me life? "Eng. Idiom, "What good would my life be to me? "