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Genesis Chapter
Twenty-Seven
I.
Content of the Chapter
Jacob Took Away His Father’s Blessings with
Deceit
A. Isaac intended to bless Esau (v.1-4);
B. Rebekah planned for Jacob to deceive the
blessings of Isaac (v.5-17);
C. Jacob obtained the blessings of Isaac
according to the counsel of his mother (v.18-29);
D. Esau cried with an exceedingly great and
bitter cry and received the secondary blessings of his father (v.30-40);
E. Esau had a grievance against Jacob (v.41);
F. Rebekah planned to save the life of Jacob
(v.42-46);
II.
Verse by Verse Commentary
Gen. 27:1 “Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so
dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him,
“My son.”
And he answered him, “Here I am.””
YLT:
“And
it cometh to pass that Isaac aged, and his eyes are too dim for seeing, and he
calleth Esau his elder son, and saith unto him, `My son;' and he saith unto
him, `Here I.'”
Literal
Meaning: “Isaac was old”, it
was inferred that Isaac at this time was about one hundred and thirty seven
years old (please read the “Age Calculation”).
“His
eyes were so dim that he could not see”, it was common that the ancient old men
became blind or nearly blind (see 48:10; 2Sam. 4:15).
“Here
I am”, this was a common answer to God and elders in the ancient time (see
22:1; Ex. 3:4; 2Sam. 3:4, 6, 8).
Age Calculation: the age of Jacob when he was forced to
escape to Laban in
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is
bad, the whole body will be full of darkness (Matt. 6:22-23) without knowing
where to go.
2) The
inners eyes of people in the world are blinded by Satan so that they cannot
know Christ. Let believers ask the Lord to enlighten the inner eyes of our
heart so that we will really know Him (Eph. 1:18).
3) May
the Lord open our eyes so that we can see wondrous things from His law (Ps.
119:18).
Gen. 27:2 “Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day
of my death.”
YLT: “And
he saith, `Lo, I pray thee, I have become aged, I have not known the day of my
death;”
Literal
Meaning: since Ishmael, the
brother of Isaac, died when he was one hundred and thirty seven years old (see
25:17), Isaac was probably affected by it, thinking that he would die soon when
he was one hundred and thirty seven years old. Actually, he died after forty
three years when he was one hundred and eighty
years old
(see 35:28).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) God has determined their preappointed times and
the boundaries of their dwellings, for in Him we live and move and have our
being (Acts 17:26, 28).
2)
Since we do not know when to die, let us prepare to meet God at any time (Amos.
4:12).
3)
Even though the flesh of believers will decay, the inward man will be renewed
day by day (2Cor. 4:16).
Gen. 27:3 “Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and
your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.”
YLT:
“and
now, take up, I pray thee, thy instruments, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out
to the field, and hunt for me provision,”
Literal
Meaning: what is worthy of
observation is that both of Ishmael and Esau who have not been chosen are concerned with quiver (see 21:20).
Gen. 27:4 “And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul
may bless you before I die.””
YLT:
“and
make for me tasteful things, as I have loved, and bring in to me, and I do eat,
so that my soul doth bless thee before I die.'”
The Background: “bless you before I die”, blessings of the fathers before their
death were not only a kind of wish that cannot be varied as it is uttered, but
also a kind of powerful prophecy that may be amazingly
fulfilled (see 9:24-27; 49:28).
Literal
Meaning: “make
me savory food, such as I love”,
that Isaac loved savory food was mentioned three times (see v.9, 14), which
indicated that Isaac showed partial because of the lusts for food (see 25:28).
“Bless” (berakah), its pronunciation in the original Hebrew is close to
the word of “birthright” (bekorah). God had early revealed that “the older
shall serve the younger” (see 25:23), and yet Isaac would bless Esau and
intended to give him the birthright (see v.29), which showed that he did not
respect the will of God.
Spiritual
Meaning: “make me savory
food, such as I love”, savory food represents the lusts of flattery and
boasting and puffing up that the flesh desires.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Isaac loved Esau because of his savory food (see
25:28). Whoever serves his own belly cannot serve our Lord Christ (
2)
When a man’s mind is controlled by his stomach, his lips will be out of control
---- he dares not to speak what should speak, and speaks what he should not
speak (see 26:34-35).
3) The
natural man always considers his own profit instead of whether it is worthy of
the will of God.
4) The
mind of the flesh is enmity against God. Though the word of God has clearly
indicated that “that older shall serve the younger” (25:23), man may still
misinterpret the word of God and explain and apply the word according to his
own mind and desire.
Gen. 27:5 “Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son.
And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it.”
YLT:
“And
Rebekah is hearkening while Isaac is speaking unto Esau his son; and Esau goeth
to the field to hunt provision -- to bring in;”
Literal
Meaning: “Rebekah
was listening”, such “listening”
then evolved into the destruction of the counsel of Isaac, which revealed that
God’s hand ruled everything and His will cannot be hindered by men. Esau heard
his father’s word and wanted to get the father’s blessing in return by savory
food, which showed that he was not faithful to the oath made with Jacob that he
had sold the birthright to Jacob (see 25:33). He just heaped error on error.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Many times, we shall be deaf and dumb to human
counsels and rely upon God only (Ps. 38:12-15).
2) It
is impossible for Esau to get his father’s blessings again since he had already
sold his birthright (Heb. 12:16-17), for blessings are included in the
birthright.
Gen. 27:6 “So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard
your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,”
YLT:
“and
Rebekah hath spoken unto Jacob her son, saying, `Lo, I have heard thy father
speaking unto Esau thy brother, saying,”
Enlightenment
in the Word: Rebekah
quoted the word of Isaac directly to strengthen the reliability of her word.
Note that here she mentions her husband “your father” and her elder son “your
brother”, and such tone shows the indifference of her relationship with them.
Gen. 27:7 “‘Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat
it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’”
YLT:
“Bring for me provision, and make for me tasteful things, and I do eat, and
bless thee before Jehovah before my death.”
Literal
Meaning: “in
the presence of the Lord”, this word is added by Rebekah herself
(see v.4) to increase the severity of this matter.
Gen. 27:8 “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I
command you.”
YLT:
“`And
now, my son, hearken to my voice, to that which I am commanding thee:”
Meaning
of Words: “command”: order;
Literal
Meaning: Rebekah did not wait
patiently for God according to His time and way to fulfill His will, but voiced
her own ideas to hasten the fulfillment of God’s promise by deceit. However,
she became the first one who suffered the loss and was forced to be separated
from her beloved son (see v.43-45).
Gen. 27:9 “Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids
of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he
loves.”
YLT:
“Go,
I pray thee, unto the flock, and take for me from thence two good kids of the
goats, and I make them tasteful things for thy father, as he hath loved;”
Spiritual
Meaning: Rebekah adviced
making savory food by the ready kids of goats instead of venison which required
time and labor to hunt, which showed that Jacob obtained blessings by his
mother’s works instead of his own strength. It is a type that man obtains
spiritual blessings through God’s grace and Christ’s works instead of one’s own
labor.
Gen. 27:10 “Then you shall take it
to your father, that he may eat it,
and that he may bless you before his death.””
YLT: “and
thou hast taken in to thy father, and he hath eaten, so that his soul doth bless
thee before his death.”
Literal
Meaning: Rebekah taught Jacob
to obtain Isaac’s blessings with deceit. Though she did it to fulfill the
purpose of God, she did it in a wrong way, and the family harmony was thus
destroyed (see v.41).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Blessings would be given to Jacob according to
the promise of God, but the promise of God did not need to be fulfilled by
human flesh.
2) We
shall not become good as we practice evil things (
Gen. 27:11 “And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Look, Esau my
brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man.”
YLT:
“And
Jacob saith unto Rebekah his mother, `Lo, Esau my brother a hairy man, and I a
smooth man,”
Gen. 27:12 “Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a
deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.””
YLT:
“it
may be my father doth feel me, and I have been in his eyes as a deceiver, and
have brought upon me disesteem, and not a blessing;'”
Meaning
of Words: “feel”: search; “deceiver”: cheat, maltreat;
Literal
Meaning: note that Jacob did
not oppose against deception, but was unwilling to cause curse. He was not
afraid of committing sins, but of the result if the sin was exposed.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Many people keep the law and do not do evil, for
they fear the ignominious results, not that they hate the evil thing itself.
2) If
an ungodly man does evil, he fears only of letting men know it, not of sinning
against God. Let believers walk according to the central principle of pleasing
God, not fearing the results.
Gen. 27:13 “But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be
on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.””
YLT:
“and
his mother saith to him, `On me thy disesteem, my son; only hearken to my
voice, and go, take for me.'”
Literal
Meaning: even though Rebekah
was willing to take the consequence, Jacob still had to leave his family and
drift outside and suffered many hardships in the hand of Laban during the
twenty years then (see 31:38-40).
Gen. 27:14 “And he went and got them
and brought them to his mother,
and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved.”
YLT:
“And
he goeth, and taketh, and bringeth to his mother, and his mother maketh
tasteful things, as his father hath loved;”
Gen. 27:15 “Then Rebekah took the choice clothes
of her elder son Esau, which were
with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.”
YLT:
“and
Rebekah taketh the desirable garments of Esau her elder son, which with her in
the house, and doth put on Jacob her younger son;”
Literal
Meaning: “the
choice clothes”, the formal
clothes that the eldest son would put on in feasts or formal occasions (see
v.27). Such clothes were reserved in the box with spices to prevent moths.
Therefore, the clothes smelt fragrant (see v.27).
Gen. 27:16 “And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands
and on the smooth part of his neck.”
YLT:
“and
the skins of the kids of the goats she hath put on his hands, and on the smooth
of his neck,”
Spiritual
Meaning: Jacob obtained the
father’s blessings through the skins of the kids of the goats, not his own
skin, which typified that man receives spiritual blessings through the
redemption of Christ instead of his own works.
Gen. 27:17 “Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.”
YLT: “and
she giveth the tasteful things, and the bread which she hath made, into the
hand of Jacob her son.”
Gen. 27:18 “So
he went to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are
you, my son?””
YLT: “And
he cometh in unto his father, and saith, `My father;' and he saith, `Here I;
who thou, my son?'”
Literal
Meaning: “who are you, my
son?”, it indicated that Isaac found it was usual, for he heard it was Jacob’s
voice and yet he was not sure.
Gen. 27:19 “Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please
arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.””
YLT:
“And
Jacob saith unto his father, `I Esau thy first-born; I have done as thou hast
spoken unto me; rise, I pray thee, sit, and eat of my provision, so that thy
soul doth bless me.'”
Literal
Meaning: “I
am Esau your firstborn”, Jacob mentioned “firstborn” particularly,
which showed that what he really cared of was the blessings of the
firstborn.
Gen. 27:20 “But
Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?”
And he said, “Because the Lord your God brought it to me.””
YLT:
“And
Isaac saith unto his son, `What this thou hast hasted to find, my son?' and he
saith, `That which Jehovah thy God hath caused to come before me.'”
Literal
Meaning: “the
Lord your God”, “your”, it
pointed here that Jacob at this time lacked the personal knowledge of God. And
until he met God himself he called the Lord “his” God (see 28:21) and called
him “God who is the God of Israel” (see 33:20).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Jacob took what was of himself as good chance
given by God. Man often regards the deceit by his own counsel as the proof of
God’s blessings.
2) It
is often seen in the church that many things are of one’s own will, but are
regarded as the will of God, and what is obtained by one’s unrighteous means is
spoken as the gift of God.
3)
Lying in the name of God has no difference from supposing godliness is a means
of gain (1Tim. 6:5).
4)
Lies may beget the son ---- once man lies, he has to make it up with more lies.
Gen. 27:21 “Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel
you, my son, whether you are
really my son Esau or not.””
YLT: “And
Isaac saith unto Jacob, `Come nigh, I pray thee, and I feel thee, my son,
whether thou he, my son Esau, or not.'”
Literal
Meaning: Isaac was not
confident of his sense of hearing, and wanted to discern by his sense of touch.
Gen. 27:22 “So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and
said, “The voice is Jacob’s
voice, but the hands are the
hands of Esau.””
YLT:
“And
Jacob cometh nigh unto Isaac his father, and he feeleth him, and saith, `The
voice the voice of Jacob, and the hands hands of Esau.'”
Literal
Meaning: “he
felt him”, the sense of
touch of a blind man should be much sensitive. And since Isaac had shepherded
for nearly a hundred years of experience, how could he no discern the
difference between the skins of the goats and the skin of man’s hands.
Therefore, not only his visual sense but also his sense of touch went wrong.
Spiritual
Meaning: voice stands for
word, and hands stand for works. Word may sound sensible, but works may oppose.
Word will become unbelievable if works run counter to it ---- this is “Jacob’s
voice and Esau’s hands”
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Our hands should be used to serve the Lord. If
they are used to chase savory food (worldly things), they will lose their
functions and cannot distinguish between right and wrong.
2) If
the daily conversation of the servant of God goes against his preaching on the
platform, he has become the crafty Jacob as well as the hypocrite scribe and
Pharisee (Matt. 23:2-3).
3)
Isaac had realized it was the voice of Jacob firstly, but he followed his
insensitive sense of touch. If we are unwilling to hear the voice of the Spirit
but rely on our own feeling, we will not be able to distinguish between right
and wrong.
4)
Sometimes, the inner feelings of believers are opposite to the environment, so
they dare not to believe their feelings. Actually experience proves that the
environment is false but the feelings are right.
Gen. 27:23 “And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy
like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him.”
YLT:
“And
he hath not discerned him, for his hands have been hairy, as the hands of Esau
his brother, and he blesseth him,”
Literal
Meaning: “he blessed him”, it
means that “Isaac decided to give the blessings to him”.
Gen. 27:24 “Then he said, “Are
you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.””
YLT: “and
saith, `Thou art he -- my son Esau?' and he saith, `I .'”
Literal
Meaning: it indicated that
Isaac doubted whether he was Esau throughout the whole process:
1. The time of getting the game was so quick
(see v.20);
2. The godly tone did not consort with the
character of Esau (see v.20);
3. The voice was like the voice of Jacob (see
v.20);
Gen. 27:25 “He said, “Bring it
near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So
he brought it near to him, and
he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.”
YLT:
“And
he saith, `Bring nigh to me, and I do eat of my son's provision, so that my
soul doth bless thee;' and he bringeth nigh to him, and he eateth; and he
bringeth to him wine, and he drinketh.”
Gen. 27:26 “Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss
me, my son.””
YLT: “And
Isaac his father saith to him, `Come nigh, I pray thee, and kiss me, my son;'”
Literal
Meaning: “Come
near now and kiss me, my son”,
Isaac eliminated his suspicions in heart by this way.
Gen. 27:27 “And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell
of his clothing, and blessed him and said: “Surely, the
smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the Lord has blessed.”
YLT: “and
he cometh nigh, and kisseth him, and he smelleth the fragrance of his garments,
and blesseth him, and saith, `See, the fragrance of my son as the fragrance of
a field which Jehovah hath blessed;”
Literal
Meaning: “kiss”, it is a sign
of love, which was even used by Jacob to be a part of his deceit.
”Smell of a field”, it symbolized God’s kindness
shown to people in the natural world, which inspired Isaac to utter the
following blessings of the fatness of the earth.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Jacob cheated his father by a kiss, and Judas
also betrayed the Lord Jesus with a kiss (Matt. 26:48). “The Judas kiss” was
common throughout the history. Therefore, let us not easily believe sweet words
or sign of intimation.
2)
Isaac was deceived by the sense of touch of his hands (see v.22). And now he
thought it was the smell of the clothes of his elder son according to his sense
of smell (see v.15). If one wants only to satisfy the lusts of his flesh, he
may be wholly controlled by the fleshly lusts.
Gen. 27:28 “Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the
earth, And
plenty of grain and wine.”
YLT: “and
God doth give to thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth,
and abundance of corn and wine;”
Spiritual
Meaning: “the
dew of heaven”, which typifies the pouring out of the Spirit;
“Of the fatness of the
earth”, which
refers to the
“And plenty of grain and
wine”, which typifies the provision of life.
Gen. 27:29 “Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to
you. Be
master over your brethren,
And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!””
YLT:
“peoples
serve thee, and nations bow themselves to thee, be thou mighty over thy
brethren, and the sons of thy mother bow themselves to thee; those who curse
thee cursed, and those who bless thee blessed.'”
Literal Meaning:
“let peoples
serve you, And
nations bow down to you”, here Jacob inherited the blessing of
Abraham that he would be the father of a multitude of peoples and nations (se
17:4-6).
“Be master over your
brethren, And
let your mother’s sons bow down to you”, this was the blessing of the
birthright.
“Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!” Here Jacob inherited the blessing of Abraham’s
position before God (see 12:3).
Isaac had openly known that will of God that “the
elder shall serve the younger” (see 25:23), but he still want to appoint Esau
to be the lord of his brother. Unexpectedly, the object of his blessing was
Jacob.
Apparently, all the above-mentioned blessings are
given to Jacob. However, actually they were all given to the people of
Spiritual
Meaning: all blessings that
Isaac had given to Jacob were fulfilled, which showed that God respected the
ground of Isaac in the will of God rather than the personal condition of him
before God ---- Isaac stood on the ground of “the son” ---- namely, Isaac
typifies the Son of God, Christ.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) God is source of blessings, and Christ is the
channel of blessings ---- God in Christ had given us all spiritual blessings in
the heavens (Eph. 1:3).
2) No
one in the world is worthy of receiving the blessings of God. It is not because
man is worthy, but because God is willing to let an unworthy man be counted
worthy.
3)
According to man’s situation, Jacob might not be better than Esau. However, the
blessing was given to him. Therefore, the election of God does not depend on
man’s situation, but on the sovereign grace of God.
Gen. 27:30 “Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing
Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father,
that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.”
YLT: “And
it cometh to pass, as Isaac hath finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob is only
just going out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother
hath come in from his hunting;”
Literal
Meaning: “gone out from …
that … came in”, God arranged it so skillfully to remind those who were
involved in:
1. Isaac coveted for savory food. The teaching was coming the moment he ate the food.
2. Jacob received the blessing with deceit. The
deceit was exposed the moment he came out.
3. Esau came back home. He was disillusioned
the moment he came back.
Gen. 27:31 “He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father,
and said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that
your soul may bless me.””
YLT:
“and
he also maketh tasteful things, and bringeth to his father, and saith to his
father, `Let my father arise, and eat of his son's provision, so that thy soul
doth bless me.'”
Gen. 27:32 “And his father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” So he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.””
YLT:
“And
Isaac his father saith to him, `Who thou?' and he saith, `I thy son, thy
first-born, Esau;'”
Gen. 27:33 “Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? Where is the one who hunted game and
brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have
blessed him—and indeed he shall
be blessed.””
YLT:
“and
Isaac trembleth a very great trembling, and saith, `Who, now, he who hath
provided provision, and bringeth in to me, and I eat of all before thou comest
in, and I bless him? -- yea, blessed is he.'”
Literal
Meaning: “he shall be
blessed”, it showed that Isaac believed that once the blessing was given, it
would never change, and moreover he knew that he could not be against God and
thus confessed that the counsel against the will of God failed.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Whoever loves human flattery (game) will
“tremble exceedingly” and lose his peace and joy.
2) God
governs all. Though Satan opposed the will of God and would bless Esau, the
will of God was finally fulfilled. The word of man cannot hinder the
fulfillment of God’s will.
3) Man
proposes, and God disposes. God will use human counsels to be the channel of
grace.
Gen. 27:34 “When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an
exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me—me also, O
my father!””
YLT:
“When
Esau heareth the words of his father, then he crieth a very great and bitter
cry, and saith to his father, `Bless me, me also, O my father;'”
Literal
Meaning: “he
cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry”, please read the commentary of verse thirty
eight.
Gen. 27:35 “But he said, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken
away your blessing.””
YLT: “and
he saith, `Thy brother hath come with subtilty, and taketh thy blessing.'”
Literal
Meaning: since Isaac knew
Jacob had taken away the blessing of Esau with deceit, he did not cancel the
blessing he had given nor cursed the works of Jacob, which showed that he had
been awaken at this time that it was of the sovereign hand of God. Therefore,
he had to confess the blessing he had given.
Gen. 27:36 “And Esau
said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times.
He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And
he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?””
YLT: “And
he saith, `Is it because called his name Jacob that he doth take me by the heel
these two times? my birthright he hath taken; and lo, now, he hath taken my
blessing;' he saith also, `Hast thou not kept back a blessing for me?'”
Literal
Meaning: “named
Jacob”, “Jacob” means
“deceit, rob” in the original Hebrew.
“He has
supplanted me these two times”,
the word ran counter to the deal between Esau and Jacob, for the birthright was
willingly sold by him instead of being robbed by Jacob (see 25:33).
This
verse told us that Esau despised “the birthright” and he sought “the blessing”
only, which showed that he received the earthly and worldly and physical
blessing rather than the spiritual blessing in the heavens.
When
Esau mentioned “he took away my birthright”, Isaac did not ask him for the
reason, which indicated that he had early known this thing.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It was Esau himself that was willing to sell the
birthright, but now he said it was others who took it. People in the world
always do things wrong, but put the blame on others.
2)
Esau sold “the birthright”, so he also lost “the blessing” thereby. The real
blessing of us is the reception of adoption of sons unto the heir of God (Gal.
4:5-7).
3)
Whoever does not cherish the best spiritual blessing, his earthly blessing will
also fail.
Gen. 27:37 “Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Indeed I have made
him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with
grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?””
YLT:
“And
Isaac answereth and saith to Esau, `Lo, a mighty one have I set him over thee,
and all his brethren have I given to him for servants, and corn and wine have I
sustained him; and for thee now, what shall I do, my son?'”
Literal
Meaning: the
offspring of Esau were the Edomites, and that of
Jacob were the Israelites.
“Indeed I have made him your master, and
all his brethren I have given to him as servants”, this blessing became a
prophecy, which was later fulfilled in the times of David. David then put
garrisons throughout
“What shall I do
now for you”, Though Isaac disregarded the will of God and was determined to bless
Esau, he gave the blessing to Jacob falsely and could not recover the situation
again.
Enlightenment
in the Word: man could not
device his own way to vary the counsel of God.
Gen. 27:38 “And Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing,
my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and
wept.”
YLT: “And
Esau saith unto his father, `One blessing hast thou my father? bless me, me
also, O my father;' and Esau lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.”
Literal
Meaning: Esau cried bitterly
twice (see v.34). The New Testament explained it in this way: “he found no
place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Heb. 12:17).
Esau lifted
up his voice and wept, which showed that he was much
frustrated in mind. However, such frustration was not because of unfair
treatment, but his own works.
Gen. 27:39 “Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, your
dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven
from above.”
YLT:
“And
Isaac his father answereth and saith unto him, `Lo, of the fatness of the earth
is thy dwelling, and of the dew of the heavens from above;”
Gen. 27:40 “By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your
brother; And
it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his
yoke from your neck.””
YLT:
“and
by thy sword dost thou live, and thy brother dost thou serve; and it hath come
to pass when thou rulest, that thou hast broken his yoke from off thy neck.'”
Literal
Meaning: “by your sword you shall live”, here
it prophesied that Edomites often laid lands on the substances of others (Obad.
v.10, 13-14).
“And it shall
come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your
neck”, in the days of Jehoram,
king of Judah, Edom revolted from the hand of Judah and set a king over
themselves (2King 8:20, 22).
Isaac gave a prophetic blessing
to Esau, and was fulfilled afterwards. Therefore, the scripture reads, “By
faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come” (Heb. 11:20).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Though a profane person is free, he is neither
blessed (v.39) nor restricted (v.40).
2) If
believers want to be free from the bondage of the flesh and sin, their spirits
should be strong. Whenever our spirits are strong, we are free.
Gen. 27:41 “So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his
father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my
father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.””
YLT:
“And
Esau hateth Jacob, because of the blessing with which his father blessed him,
and Esau saith in his heart, `The days of mourning my father draw near, and I
slay Jacob my brother.'”
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It is good to give blessings to children.
However it even causes family divisions. The partiality of parents is often the
main reason for the disharmony among the children.
2)
Whoever takes away the blessing by human ways will firstly taste the bitter
fruit of hatred.
3) The
flesh is characterized by two points ---- one is hated, and the other is
murder. Though man seldom murders in deeds, he often murders in mind and dares
not to put it into practice.
Gen. 27:42 “And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.
So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Surely your
brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.”
YLT: “And
the words of Esau her elder son are declared to Rebekah, and she sendeth and
calleth for Jacob her younger son, and saith unto him, `Lo, Esau thy brother is
comforting himself in regard to thee -- to slay thee;”
Enlightenment
in the Word: obviously Esau’s
scheme of killing Jacob was no longer a counsel in “mind” merely (v. 41) and he
mentioned it to others.
Gen. 27:43 “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my
brother Laban in
YLT:
“and
now, my son, hearken to my voice, and rise, flee for thyself unto Laban my
brother, to
Literal
Meaning: “
“My
brother Laban”, Rebekah was Laban’s sister (see 24:29; 26:20).
Gen. 27:44 “And stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury
turns away,”
YLT: “and
thou hast dwelt with him some days, till thy brother's fury turn back,”
Literal
Meaning: “stay
with him a few days”, Rebekah
misinterpreted that Esau’s fury would turn away in a few days. However, it
unexpectedly turned out to be two long decades (see
31:38, 41). Probably she might have no chance to see Jacob again (note: the
Scriptures neither records when Rebekah died nor that Jacob saw her again).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) A lot of afflictions of man are caused by
himself. If one trusts in God wholly and forsakes his own ways and waits for
the works of God, many troubles will be omitted.
2) If
a man thinks he is intelligent enough that he needs not to rely on God and
walks by his own strength, he will wholly fall into faults. However, even
though man often makes serious mistakes, God still reigns ---- He can make
man’s mistake work for His own counsel.
Gen. 27:45 “until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he
forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?””
YLT:
“till
thy brother's anger turn back from thee, and he hath forgotten that which thou
hast done to him, and I have sent and taken thee from thence; why am I bereaved
even of you both the same day?'”
Literal
Meaning: “Why
should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?” Rebekah deeply knew that once Jacob was
killed by Esau, Esau shall also be put to death (2Sam. 14:7). Therefore, she
was afraid of losing two sons in one day.
Rebekah might not see Jacob again later, and besides he was hated by
Esau because of being partial to Jacob. Therefore, she had in fact “been bereaved of both of them in one day”.
Gen. 27:46 “And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because
of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the
daughters of Heth, like these who are
the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?””
YLT:
“And
Rebekah saith unto Isaac, `I have been disgusted with my life because of the
presence of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of
Heth, like these -- from the daughters of the land -- why do I live?'”
Literal
Meaning: “the
daughters of Heth” refer to the
daughters of Canaanites. Esau married two daughters of Heth, who were a grief of
mind of Rebekah (see 26:34-35).
The
real purpose of Rekebah’s word was to ask Isaac to send Jacob to Padan
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
The Flesh Cannot Take the Responsibilities
of the Spirit
A. Blessing on the earth symbolizes the
spiritual blessing in the heavens (v.4; see Eph. 1:3);
B. The flesh cannot discern what is right or
wrong;
1. The visual sense fails ---- Isaac was old
and his eyes were dim (v.1);
2. The sense of touch fails ---- Isaac was
unable to distinguish between Esau’s hands and the skins of
the kids of the goats (v.16, 22-23);
3. The sense of hearing fails ----
Isaac regarded the voice of Jacob as that of Esau (v.22);
4. The sense of taste fails ----
Isaac could not distinguish between savory food and food made by choice
kids of the goats (v.9, 25).
5. The sense of smell fails ----
Isaac could only smells the smell of his clothing rather than the smell of man
(v.27);
C. Man’s propose fulfills things that are
appointed to be according to God’s will and God’s hand (v.28-29; see25:23; Acts
4:28).
Conditions of Being Blessed
A. Bring me from
there two choice kids of the goats (v.9) ---- gentle and humble and willing to be
restricted;
B. I
am a smooth-skinned man (v.11) ---- see that one is uncovered and
dare not to see God;
C. I
shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing (v.12) ---- be worthy of curse only according to
one’s original condition;
D. Put on the
choice clothes (v.15) ---- put on
the righteousness of Christ;
E. Put the skins of
the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck (v.16) ---- be sealed by Jesus in walking
and will;
F. Take the savory
food and the bread in hand (v.17) ---- be provided by the life of Christ;
Faults of Each Member of the Family
A. Faults of Isaac:
1. Who did not honor the will of God (see
25:23);
2. Who was partial to the elder son for the
sake of the lust of his belly (see 25:28);
3. Who cared about himself first and then
blessed others (v.3-4);
4. Who did not judge wisely in spite of his
doubt (v.21, 24);
B. Faults of Rebekah:
1. Who neither relied upon nor waited for God,
but wanted to fulfill the will of God by her own ways.
2. Who incited her son to deceive her own
husband (v.6-10);
3. Who proposed the deceit and had a hand in
its performance (v.14-17);
4. Who had no love toward Esau;
C. Faults of Esau:
1. Who did not respect this swearing (see
25:33), and schemed to take back the birthright through his father’s blessing
(v.5, 31);
2. Who took wives among the Gentiles (see
26:34-35);
3. Who was against his brother (v.36, 41);
4. Who planned to kill his brother because of
hatred (v.41);
D. Faults of Jacob:
1. Who took the birthright from Esau by the red
stew (v.36; see 25:30-34);
2. Who obtained the blessing from his father
with deceit (v.35);
3. Who did not hesitate to let his mother
cursed for the sake of his own blessing (v.13);
4. Who lied with the excuse of God (v.20);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou