Genesis 27:33

33 Then Isaac trembled very exceedingly and said, Who is he that has taken venison and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest? I have blessed him and he shall be blessed.

Genesis 27:33 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 27:33

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly
Or "trembled with a great trembling exceedingly" F2; he was amazed, and astonished, and seized with a trembling all over his body, and with terror and confusion of mind; at the craft of Jacob in getting the blessing; at the disappointment of Esau in losing it; at his own act in blessing Jacob instead of Esau, contrary to his inclination and intention; and at the overruling providence of God in bringing this about in so strange a manner, agreeably to the oracle he had given Rebekah; which now perhaps came fresh into the mind of Isaac, if he had heard it before; and all together threw him into this amazement: and he said, who? where [is] he;
which words spoken in haste, and without order, show the hurry and consternation of mind he was in: that hath taken venison, and brought [it] me, and I have eaten of all
before thou camest;
he was here but just now; he was scarce gone out before thou camest in; who, and where is he, that has done this? He knew it must be Jacob that had prepared and brought him food he called venison, which he had eaten sufficiently of, though in the confusion of his mind he puts these questions: and have blessed him? yea, [and] he shall be blessed;
for he now saw clearly that it was according to the divine will that Jacob should be blessed, though his natural affection led him to bless Esau; and no doubt, while he was pronouncing the blessing on Jacob, he felt an uncommon impulse upon his mind, by which he was assured that he was right in blessing him, that it was according to the will of God, was by his direction, and with his approbation; and therefore he here, even after Jacob's deceit was detected, confirms and ratifies it; and this is added, lest any question should be made of the validity of the blessing of Jacob, when it was given through mistake, and got by deceit; but this Isaac did and said knowingly, and by faith, as the apostle says, ( Hebrews 11:20 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (dam-de hldg hdrx drxyw) "contremuit tremore magno usque valde", Montanus; Pagninus, Schmidt.

Genesis 27:33 In-Context

31 And he also had made savory food and brought it unto his father and said unto his father, Let my father arise and eat of his son’s venison that thy soul may bless me.
32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.
33 Then Isaac trembled very exceedingly and said, Who is he that has taken venison and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest? I have blessed him and he shall be blessed.
34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
35 And he said, Thy brother came with deceit and has taken away thy blessing.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010