GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:1 Isaac decides it is time to bless his firstborn son, Esau. Such blessings were seen as shaping the future of those blessed. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:4 THAT MY SOUL MAY BLESS YOU BEFORE I DIE. Isaac intends that his blessing for Esau will establish the identity of the heir to the promises God had given to Abraham and Isaac. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:5 REBEKAH WAS LISTENING. Rebekah plans Jacob’s deception, but Jacob is still responsible for the part he plays in this trick. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:11 From birth, Esau was clearly distinguished from Jacob by his HAIRY appearance (see Genesis 25:25). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:29 LET PEOPLES SERVE YOU, AND NATIONS BOW DOWN TO YOU. Isaac’s blessing for his “firstborn” goes far beyond material prosperity (v. Genesis 27:28). Isaac asks for universal sovereignty over peoples and nations, building on God’s promise to Abraham that kings will be among... [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:30 IS HE NOT RIGHTLY NAMED JACOB? FOR HE HAS CHEATED ME THESE TWO TIMES (v. Genesis 27:36). Esau refers here to the name “Jacob,” which means “to deceive/cheat” (see note on 25:26). Esau believes that Jacob has cheated him out of both his birthright (see Genesis 25:29) and... [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:40 YOU SHALL BREAK HIS YOKE FROM YOUR NECK. Although Jacob has been given authority over his older twin brother, Esau will eventually free himself from his brother’s control. Later, Esau’s descendants will settle outside the Promised Land, to the east of the Jordan River ... [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:41 I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB (v. Genesis 27:41). When Rebekah learns of Esau’s desire to murder Jacob, she encourages Jacob to go to her brother LABAN in northwestern Mesopotamia (HARAN). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images... [ Continue Reading ]
GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 27:46 THE HITTITE WOMEN. Rebekah is probably referring to Esau’s wives (see Genesis 26:34), although she could mean Hittite women in general. She may have raised this issue with Isaac as a reason for sending Jacob away. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img")... [ Continue Reading ]