Daily Scripture Reading Genesis 27:24-40

It is commonly believed that God will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. On the other hand, some people reject that belief. They claim that promise was given to select individuals, not the nation of Israel as a whole.

Today’s passage contains one of the verses that includes the promise regarding the blessing and the curse. This passage does not definitively prove the promise applies to all Israel, but it does allow for it.

Isaac asked Esau to prepare a meal so that Isaac could bless Esau. Rebekah overhead the request and persuaded her son, Jacob, to pretend to be Esau so that Isaac would bless Jacob instead of Esau. When Jacob took a meal to Isaac and claimed to be Esau, Isaac noticed it was Jacob’s voice, but Jacob was wearing Esau’s garments, so Isaac was persuaded that Jacob was Esau.

Gen. 27:24 And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.”

The first pronoun “he” refers to Isaac. The second pronoun “he” refers to Jacob.

Gen. 27:25 So he said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, that my soul may bless you.” And he brought it near to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine, and he drank.

Look at the word “bless”. This is a word we commonly use today. When someone sneezes, we say “bless you”. We often ask God to “bless the missionaries”. When we sit down to eat, we have someone “bless” the meal. The meaning of the word “bless” in those situations is vague; plus, in the case of blessing the missionaries, we are actually relying on God to determine the substance of the blessing. There is nothing wrong with saying those things, but the Biblical concept of a blessing is something different, something much more specific.

Here is an example that better illustrates the Biblical concept of a blessing. I know a parent who loaned money to his children to go to college. When they graduated, he “blessed” them by forgiving the loan. In his case, the blessing was specific and tangible. It was something he had full power and authority to give.

When people in Bible times gave a blessing, it was a combination of giving an inheritance and speaking as a prophet. As you read the blessing Isaac gave Jacob, found in the following verses, think of it as the pronouncement of a prophet who was delivering promises from Yahweh.

Gen. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.”

Gen. 27:27 So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and then he blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son

Is like the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed;

Gen. 27:28 Now may God give you of the dew of heaven,

And of the fatness of the earth,

And an abundance of grain and new wine;

This part of the blessing made Jacob wealthy.

Gen. 27:29 May peoples serve you,

And nations bow down to you;

Be master of your brothers,

And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Cursed be those who curse you,

And blessed be those who bless you.”

The words “peoples” and “nations” are plural. Jacob was destined to rule over many people groups and multiple nations.

Look at lines 3 and 4 of this verse. Isaac proclaimed that Jacob would rule over his brothers. This meant Jacob would rule over Esau. The descendants of Jacob became God’s chosen people, not the descendants of Esau.

Lines 5 and 6 are a promise that those who bless Jacob will be blessed while those who curse Jacob will be cursed. This promise was first given to Abraham. Now that promise was extended to Jacob.

Throughout this verse, the pronoun “you” is singular. Some people claim this means these promises only apply to Jacob the man. That would mean the promise regarding the blessing and the curse would only apply to Jacob.

However, all the descendants of Jacob the man are the nation of Israel. Later, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. It is accurate to think of the singular pronoun “you” referring to the nation of Israel, not just Jacob the man. Furthermore, Numbers 24:9 tells us that those who bless the people of Israel will be blessed while those who curse them will be cursed. This means the promise to bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you refers to all Israel, not just Jacob the man.

Gen. 27:30 ¶ Now it happened that as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

Gen. 27:31 Then he also made a savory dish and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.”

Gen. 27:32 And Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

Gen. 27:33 Then Isaac trembled exceedingly violently and said, “Who was he then that hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate of all of it before you came and blessed him? Indeed, he shall be blessed.”

Look at the words “trembled exceedingly violently”. Verse 22 tells us Isaac thought he was hearing Jacob’s voice. When the real Esau came to his father and Isaac heard Esau’s voice, Isaac would have been certain at that point that he had not blessed Esau.

Gen. 27:34 As Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, me also, O my father!”

Gen. 27:35 And he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.”

At this point Isaac knew exactly what had happened.

Gen. 27:36 Then he said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”

The speaker in this verse is Esau. Esau’s version of history was not quite correct. Esau willingly sold his birthright.

Gen. 27:37 But Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him your master, and all his fellow brothers I have given to him as servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. Now as for you then, what can I do, my son?”

Gen. 27:38 And Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” So Esau lifted his voice and wept.

In the following verse, Isaac once again spoke as a prophet.

Gen. 27:39 ¶ Then Isaac his father answered and said to him,

“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall be your habitation,

And away from the dew of heaven from above.

Esau’s descendants eventually lived east of the Jordan River, in an area that was and is not as fertile as the land given to Jacob’s descendants.

Gen. 27:40 By your sword you shall live,

And your brother you shall serve;

But it shall be when you become restless,

That you will break his yoke from your neck.”

The descendants of Esau became the Edomites. Throughout the Old Testament we see conflict between Israel and Edom.

It is commonly believed that God will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. On the other hand, some people reject that belief. They claim that promise was given to select individuals, not the nation of Israel as a whole.

However, all the descendants of Jacob the man are the nation of Israel. Later, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. It is accurate to think of the singular pronoun “you” referring to the nation of Israel, not just Jacob the man. Furthermore, Numbers 24:9 tells us that those who bless the people of Israel will be blessed while those who curse them will be cursed. This means the promise to bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you refers to all Israel, not just Jacob the man.

What are the ramifications in world politics today of the fact that God promised to bless those who bless Jacob and curse those who curse Jacob?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”