Genesis 27:38

38 And Esau said to his father, Hast thou one blessing, father? Bless, I pray thee, me also, father. And Isaac being troubled, Esau cried aloud and wept.

Genesis 27:38 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 27:38

And Esau said unto his father, hast thou but one blessing, my
father?
&c.] He seems to speak diminutively of what had been given to Jacob, calling it one blessing: whereas there were many, and of different sorts, both temporal and spiritual; but it may be Esau had not so clear and comprehensive a view of what was contained in Jacob's blessing; or at least was willing to think and hope that there was not so much given, but there might be some behind for him, and that his father had a greater stock than to be drained of all at once: bless me, [even] me also, O my father:
with another blessing, with one equal to what has been given my brother: and Esau lift up his voice, and wept;
in order to move the affections of his father, and to prevail upon him to reverse the blessing he had bestowed on Jacob, and give it to him; but he could not bring his father to repentance, to change his mind, and revoke the blessing, and give it him, with all his crying and tears, as the apostle observes, ( Hebrews 12:17 ) .

Genesis 27:38 In-Context

36 And he said, Rightly was his name called Jacob, for lo! this second time has he supplanted me; he has both taken my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing; and Esau said to his father, Hast thou not left a blessing for me, father?
37 And Isaac answered and said to Esau, If I have made him thy lord, and have made all his brethren his servants, and have strengthened him with corn and wine, what then shall I do for thee, son?
38 And Esau said to his father, Hast thou one blessing, father? Bless, I pray thee, me also, father. And Isaac being troubled, Esau cried aloud and wept.
39 And Isaac his father answered and said to him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above.
40 And thou shalt live by thy sword, and shalt serve thy brother; and there shall be when thou shalt break and loosen his yoke from off thy neck.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Heb. — Isaac being troubled.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.