Knowing The Word in Genesis 27:30-40, Isaac Blesses Esau

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. [Jacob departs in the nick of time.] 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son's game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently [total panic] and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” [The blessing cannot be taken back or given away to someone else.] 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry [a scream of immense pain] and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” [Isaac answers his own question about who got the blessing.] 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. [“Cheated” is a bitter pun on Jacob’s deceptive name.] He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” [Esau went along with his father’s irregular deathbed plan that left out Jacob. He should have insisted his father bless both of them. Now he is left with nothing.] 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son? [he hopelessly concludes]” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:

“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. [Esau is condemned like Ishmael and Cain to a wandering existence to the south and east of Canaan.] 40 By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.” [Throughout the OT, Edom (Esau’s descendants) appears as a militant nation, often hostile to Israel. From the time of David, Edom was part of the Israelite empire but later regained its independence after the fall of Jerusalem and took revenge on Judah.]