Genesis Chapter 27 verse 39 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 39. - And Isaac his father (moved by the tearful earnestness of Esau) answered and said unto him, - still speaking under inspiration, though it is doubtful whether what he spoke was a real, or only an apparent, blessing - (vide infra) - Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. Literally, from (מִן) the fatnesses (or fat places) of the earth, and from the dew of area; a substantial repetition of the temporal blessing bestowed on Jacob (ver. 28), with certain important variations, such as the omission of plenty of corn and wine at the close, and of the name of Elohim at the commencement, of the benediction (Vulgate, Luther, Calvin, Ainsworth, Rosenmüller, 'Speaker's Commentary'); though, by assigning to the preposition a privative rather than a partitive sense, it is readily transformed into "a modified curse" - behold, away from the fatnesses o/the earth, etc., shall thy dwelling be, meaning that, in contrast to the land of Canaan, the descendants of Esau should be located in a sterile region (Tuch, Knobel, Kurtz, Delitzseh, Keil, Kalisch, Murphy). In support of this latter rendering it is urged (1) that it is grammatically admissible; (2) that it corresponds with the present aspect of Idumaea, which is "on the whole a dreary and unproductive land;" (3) that it agrees with the preceding statement that every blessing had already been bestowed upon Jacob; and . . .

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(39) Isaac his father answered.--Unwillingly, and only after repeated entreaty and earnest expostulation, and even tears, upon Esau's side, does Isaac bring himself to the effort to lessen in any way the painful consequences to his favourite son of his brother having robbed him of the blessing. Plainly, he felt that he had endeavoured to do what was wrong, and was afraid lest he should still be found resisting God's will.Thy dwelling shall be the fatness.--Heb., thy dwelling shall be of the fat places of the earth. (See Note on Genesis 27:28.) But most modern expositors consider that the preposition should not be translated "of," but from, that is:--"Behold thy dwelling shall be away from the fat places of the earth,And away from the dew of heaven from above,And by (Heb., upon--depending upon) thy sword thou shalt live," &c.By this rendering the parts of the blessing agree together. Those who have fertile lands live by agriculture, but the inhabitants of sterile regions must look to more adventurous enterprises for a living. So the Swiss, like the Greeks of old, long served as mercenaries in the armies of other states. Idumaea, though not destitute of fruitful tracts, and even famous for its orchards, was, as a whole, sterile and unproductive, and the people were restless and unquiet. Moreover, Isaac had already given the corn-land and vineyards to Jacob (Genesis 27:37), and had no second gift of them in his power. It is no answer to this to say that as the same preposition is used in Genesis 27:28, it cannot have a contrary sense in the two blessings. It there follows a verb of giving, and necessarily has a partitive signification. Here there is nothing absolutely to settle its meaning, and we are left to the general sense. Possibly, Isaac may have purposely used an ambiguous word; but the meaning as a whole is clear. Esau was to inhabit a land which by its barrenness would force him to a life of adventure, military service, and freebooting. . . .