Two Texts, Two Blessings: What Did Isaac Really Say to Esau?

Jacob and Esau, Part 2

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In my last post, I compared the character and morals of Jacob and Esau.

The Favored Son: Jacob and Esau Part 1

We saw how, according to the Book of Jubilees, Jacob was an upright man who followed YHWH’s (the LORD’s) commands. Esau, on the other hand, was a fierce man who rejected YHWH’s commands and learned the ways of war.

Knowing their hearts, YHWH favored Jacob over Esau. Abraham and Rebecca also loved Jacob and regarded him worthy to inherit YHWH’s blessing.

From the Genesis account, we know that Isaac favored Esau. The Book of Jubilees reveals that Isaac eventually had a change of heart.

In today’s post, we will look at Esau’s blessing. We will compare the account found in most Bibles with the Septuagint.

Esau’s Blessing

The King James translation is based on a Hebrew manuscript known as the Masoretic Text. It dates to the 11^th century A.D. Esau’s blessing in the King James reads as follows:

Genesis 27:39 “And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, ‘Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

Genesis 27:40 “‘And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.’

Genesis 27:41 “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, ‘The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.’” (KJV)

At first glance, Esau’s blessing doesn’t seem so bad. He received the fatness of the earth and the dew of heaven. The text leaves us wondering why Esau was so displeased.

A Different Version

A different version of Esau’s blessing can be found in the Greek Scriptures, known as the Septuagint. The oldest copy we have today dates to the 4^th century A.D.

Many English Bible translations (ESV, NLT, ISV, CSV, NASB, RSV, and LSB) follow the Septuagint’s wording for this passage.

Septuagint Genesis 27:39 “Then in reply his father Isaak said to him: ‘See, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high.

Septuagint Genesis 27:40 “And by your dagger you shall live, and you shall be subject to your brother, but it shall be that when perchance you bring him down, then you shall loose his yoke from your neck.’

Septuagint Genesis 27:41 “And Esau was indignant at Iakob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. Then Esau said in his mind, ‘Let the days of mourning for my father come near in order that I may kill my brother Iakob.’” (NETS)

The meaning in the Septuagint is very different from that in the Masoretic Text. In the Masoretic Text, Esau receives the fatness of the earth and the dew of the heavens. In the Septuagint, he is separated from both.

Isaac’s words recorded in the Masoretic Text seem like a blessing, but his words recorded in the Septuagint seem like a curse.

Given that Esau’s response to his “blessing” is consistent in both texts, the Septuagint’s rendition makes the most sense. Additionally, the account in the Book of Jubilees agrees with the Septuagint.

Jubilees 26:33 “And Isaac answered and said to him, ‘Behold, your dwelling will be far from the dew of the earth, and far from the dew of the heavens from above.

Jubilees 26:34 “And you will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. And it will come to pass when you become great, and shake his yoke from off your neck, you will sin a complete sin to death, and your seed will be rooted out from under Heaven.’

Jubilees 26:35 “And Esau kept threatening Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and he said in his heart, ‘May the days of mourning for my father now come, so that I may slay my brother Jacob.’”

Staying in YHWH’s Favor

Jacob, the one who walked with YHWH and followed His commands, received the true blessing from his father. Esau was cursed. His defiance alienated him from YHWH and His favor.

Hebrews 12:15-16 “See to it that no one falls short of the favour of Elohim, that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, by which many become defiled, lest there be anyone who whores, or profane one, like Ěsaw, who for a single meal sold his birthright.”

Hebrews 12:17 “For you know that afterward, when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears.” (ISR)

Jacob and Esau are examples for us. Their lives illustrate the results of following YHWH and the consequences of rejecting Him. Believers in Yahushua stay in Elohim’s favor by keeping His commandments.

John 15:10a “If you guard My commands, you shall stay in My love.”

Do you believe keeping YHWH’s commands brings forth blessing? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Sarah

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