Bereshis 27:40

40 And by thy cherev shalt thou live, and shalt serve achicha; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt become restless, that thou shalt break his ol (yoke) from off thy tzavar (neck).

Bereshis 27:40 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 27:40

And by thy sword shalt thou live
By what he could get by it; his land being so poor that he could not live upon it, but must be obliged to such methods for a livelihood; or his country being surrounded with enemies, his posterity would be obliged to defend themselves by the sword, and other weapons of war: and shalt serve thy brother;
which is the sense and language of the oracle, ( Genesis 25:23 ) ; and which Isaac perhaps now remembered, and had a clear understanding of it, and delivers out his prophetic blessing agreeably to it: and it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion;
not over the Israelites, the posterity of Jacob, which the Edomites, Esau's posterity, never had; but when they should get a greater degree of strength, power, authority, and dominion in the world: that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck;
the Edomites should revolt from the posterity of Jacob, and shake off the yoke of bondage and subjection they had been long under; as they did in the times of Joram, king of Judah, and set up a king of their own, and continued in such a state of freedom a long time, see ( 2 Kings 8:20-22 ) .

Bereshis 27:40 In-Context

38 And Esav said unto aviv, Hast thou but one brocha, avi? Make a brocha on me, even me also, O avi. And Esav lifted up his kol (voice), and wept.

39 And Yitzchak aviv answered and said unto him, Hinei, thy moshav (dwelling) shall be the fatness of ha’aretz, and of the tal HaShomayim from above;

40 And by thy cherev shalt thou live, and shalt serve achicha; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt become restless, that thou shalt break his ol (yoke) from off thy tzavar (neck).

41 And Esav hated Ya’akov because of the brocha wherewith aviv made a brocha upon him: and Esav said in his lev, The yemei evel (days of mourning) for avi are at hand; then will I slay Ya’akov achi.

42 And these words of Esav her ben hagadol were told to Rivkah; and she sent and called Ya’akov her ben hakatan, and said unto him, Hinei, Esav achicha, as touching thee, doth console himself, purposing to kill thee.