39
Isaacיִצְחָקhis fatherאָבִיוansweredוַיַּעַןand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,אֵלָיו“Look,הִנֵּהaway from the richnessמִשְׁמַנֵּיof the earthהָאָרֶץwill beיִהְיֶהyour dwelling,מוֹשָׁבֶךָand away from the dewוּמִטַּלof the heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםfrom above.מֵעָל
Genesis 27:39
Study it in the app“Isaac his father answered and said to him, “Look, away from the richness of the earth will be your dwelling, and away from the dew of the heavens from above.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 27:39, word by word
- Isaacיִצְחָקyitschak
Isaac
Isaac, the son promised to Abraham and Sarah, father of Esau and Jacob. His name means "he laughs" (Genesis 17:17, 19; 21:6).
Where else “yitschak” appears- his fatherאָבִיavi
father
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appears- answeredיַּעַןyaan
answer
To reply to what was said.
Where else “yaan” appears- and saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- away from the richnessשְׁמַנֵּיshemane
richness
The most fertile land; savory food.
Where else “shemane” appears- of the earthאָרֶץarets
earth
The whole world, everything under the sky.
Where else “arets” appears- will beיִהְיֶהyihye
be
To be: "I will be their Elohim".
Where else “yihye” appears- your dwellingמוֹשָׁבֶmoshave
dwelling
A place where someone settles to live, whether a house, a city or a camp.
Where else “moshave” appears- and away from the dewטַּלtal
dew
Dew: the moisture of the night, which in a dry land keeps the plants alive.
Where else “tal” appears- of the heavensשָּׁמַיִםshamayim
sky
The high space seen above the earth, where the birds, clouds, sun and stars are.
Where else “shamayim” appears
Translation note
Literally “of the richness of the earth… and of the dew of the heavens,” with the same preposition (min) as in Jacob’s blessing (27:28), where it means “of.” Here it is read “away from” because of what follows in 27:40: Esau will live by his sword and serve his brother.
The context
38Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me, me too, my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
39 · This verse (above)
40By your sword you will live, and your brother you will serve; but it will be when you break loose that you will tear his yoke from your neck.”
To study Genesis 27 in a group
1. What it says
How did Jacob receive Isaac’s blessing, and how did Esau react (vv. 18-34)?
2. What it means
What consequences did Jacob’s deceiving his father bring to the family (vv. 41-45)?
3. How I live it
How can you pursue what you need without resorting to deception?