Genesis 27:28 kjv
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
Genesis 27:28 nkjv
Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.
Genesis 27:28 niv
May God give you heaven's dew and earth's richness? an abundance of grain and new wine.
Genesis 27:28 esv
May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine.
Genesis 27:28 nlt
"From the dew of heaven
and the richness of the earth,
may God always give you abundant harvests of grain
and bountiful new wine.
Genesis 27 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will make you a great nation... And I will bless those who bless you." | Abrahamic Covenant: Foundation of divine blessing. |
| Gen 22:17-18 | "...multiplying I will multiply your descendants... In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed..." | Fulfillment of Abrahamic promise, abundant progeny. |
| Gen 27:29 | "Let peoples serve you... Be master of your brethren..." | Continuation: Dominion and leadership over others. |
| Gen 27:38-40 | "...Esau said to his father, 'Do you have only one blessing...? Tell me your blessing also, O my father!'..." | Esau's sorrow; his lesser blessing contrasting Isaac's. |
| Gen 28:3-4 | "May God Almighty bless you... and give you the blessing of Abraham..." | Isaac's reaffirmed blessing to Jacob, linking to covenant. |
| Gen 49:25 | "By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath..." | Jacob's blessing on Joseph, similar themes of sky/earth. |
| Deut 7:13 | "...He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the produce of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil..." | God's blessing for obedience, focusing on agrarian produce. |
| Deut 11:13-14 | "...I will give you the rain for your land in its season... that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil." | Divine provision of rain for bountiful harvest. |
| Deut 33:13 | "Blessed of the Lord be his land, With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, And with the deep that lies beneath..." | Moses' blessing on Joseph, highlights dew and earth's fruit. |
| Deut 33:28 | "...Israel dwells in safety, The fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew." | Israel's security and prosperity, heavens providing dew. |
| Job 29:19 | "...My root is spread by the waters, And the dew lies all night on my branch." | Prosperity and continuous flourishing, sustained by dew. |
| Ps 65:9-13 | "You visit the earth and water it... you enrich it... the valleys also are clothed with grain..." | God's direct involvement in fertilizing the earth. |
| Ps 133:3 | "...Like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—Life forevermore." | Dew as a symbol of unity and spiritual blessing from God. |
| Prov 3:9-10 | "Honor the Lord with your possessions... So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine." | Divine promise of abundance through honoring God. |
| Isa 30:23 | "Then He will give the rain for your seed... And the grain of the increase of the earth; It will be fat and rich." | God's promise of abundant harvests, fertile land. |
| Jer 5:24 | "They do not say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain... in its season...’" | God's unique power to provide rain, emphasizing divine control. |
| Zec 8:12 | "For the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew—" | Promise of restoration and abundance, including dew. |
| Joel 2:23-24 | "Be glad then, you children of Zion... for He has given you the former rain... The threshing floors shall be full of grain, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil." | God's promise of physical restoration and overflowing bounty. |
| Hos 2:8 | "For she did not know That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, And multiplied her silver and gold..." | God's direct provision for Israel, often unrecognized. |
| Mal 3:10 | "...Test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”" | Generous divine outpouring for obedience (tithing). |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." | Principle of divine provision for those who prioritize God. |
| Jas 1:17 | "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights..." | God as the ultimate source of all good blessings. |
| Heb 11:20 | "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come." | Confirms Isaac's role in conveying God's prophetic will. |
Genesis 27 verses
Genesis 27 28 Meaning
Genesis 27:28 records Isaac's pronouncement upon Jacob, whom he believed to be Esau. This blessing primarily invokes divine provision, promising an abundance of material sustenance and agricultural prosperity. It details God's gift of "dew of heaven" and "fatness of the earth," essential elements for fertile land, leading to an overflow of grain and new wine. The blessing signifies a life of earthly richness, fruitfulness, and sustenance directly from God, indicating a privileged status as heir to the promises of prosperity.
Genesis 27 28 Context
Genesis chapter 27 describes a pivotal moment in the patriarchal history, involving deception and the irrevocable nature of an ancient Near Eastern father's blessing. Isaac, old and blind, intended to bestow the primary, firstborn's blessing upon his elder son Esau, as was custom. However, Rebekah, Isaac's wife, overheard this plan and conspired with their younger son, Jacob, to deceive Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing instead. Jacob, disguised with goat skins and Esau's garments, approached Isaac and falsely claimed to be Esau. Gen 27:28 is the first part of this solemn and weighty blessing spoken by Isaac under the impression that he was blessing Esau. This act, though born of deception, providentially directed God's promised blessing through Abraham and Isaac to Jacob, aligning with God's earlier declaration in Gen 25:23 that "the older shall serve the younger." In the historical and cultural context, a patriarchal blessing was far more than a wish; it was believed to be a performative utterance with lasting spiritual and material power, largely considered irreversible once spoken. The specifics of the blessing reflect an agrarian society's most desired provisions: plentiful crops and robust sustenance.
Genesis 27 28 Word analysis
- Therefore (וַיִּתֶּן – wa-yitten): This word can be translated as "and he gave" or "then he will give" (jussive/optative meaning "may he give"). It links the blessing directly to the immediate context of Isaac identifying "Esau" (Jacob disguised) through scent and touch, establishing the pronouncement. It signifies an immediate act of conferring, indicating a binding nature of the blessing.
- may God give you (הָאֱלֹהִים לָךְ – hā-’ĕlōhîm lakh): "God" is ’Elohim, the common Hebrew word for God, often referring to the powerful Creator. The phrase underscores the divine origin of the blessing. Isaac is not merely expressing a wish, but pronouncing a blessing derived from God's power and sovereignty, which he believed was for Esau but ultimately intended by God for Jacob.
- Of the dew of heaven (מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם – miṭṭal haššāmāyim): "Dew" (ṭal) refers to moisture condensed from the atmosphere. In ancient Israel, especially in rain-scarce periods and regions, dew was critical for crops and pastures. It symbolized God's gentle, unseen, yet indispensable provision, freshness, fertility, and divine favor. The source is "heaven," reinforcing that this gift is solely from God, distinct from earthly powers or false deities, and implying its precious and pure nature. This indirectly served as a polemic against Canaanite rain-gods like Baal.
- And of the fatness of the earth (וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ – ūmišmannê hā’āreṣ): "Fatness" (mišmannê) implies richness, fertility, the choicest parts, or the abundance of the land. It denotes material wealth and a high degree of agricultural productivity. This aspect promises a fertile, yielding soil, enabling robust harvests and sustenance for life. It suggests prosperity rooted in the physical environment provided by God.
- And plenty of grain (וְרֹב דָּגָן – wěrōḇ dāgān): "Plenty" (rōḇ) indicates an overflowing abundance, exceeding mere sufficiency. "Grain" (dāgān) refers to cereal crops, a staple food that formed the bedrock of ancient economies and sustenance. Abundance of grain meant prosperity, security, and a full livelihood.
- and new wine (וְתִירֹשׁ – wětîrôš): "New wine" (tîrôš) refers to freshly pressed, often sweet wine. It represents the produce of vineyards and symbolizes joy, feasting, and the finer aspects of agricultural abundance. It suggests not just survival but delight and celebration derived from God's provision.
- Words-Group Analysis:
- "dew of heaven, And of the fatness of the earth": This phrase encapsulates the two primary sources of agricultural blessing: celestial moisture (God's direct provision) and terrestrial fertility (the earth's yield enabled by God). It signifies comprehensive blessing, covering both climatic and geological conditions essential for life in an agrarian society, showing God's complete control over natural resources for His chosen.
- "plenty of grain and new wine": These two items represent the core agricultural produce that signifies full and joyous sustenance. Grain provides the necessary calories and sustenance, while new wine represents the elements of feasting, joy, and richness of life. Together, they symbolize abundant provision for both basic needs and communal celebration, painting a picture of total earthly prosperity.
Genesis 27 28 Bonus section
This blessing, delivered under false pretenses, underlines a significant biblical principle: God's sovereign will often prevails over human intentions, even flawed ones. Isaac's blessing was divinely inspired in its essence, and thus irreversible and effectual for Jacob, as later seen in Gen 28:3-4 where Isaac reiterates a portion of the Abrahamic blessing to Jacob. The blessing itself contains elements reflective of the Abrahamic covenant promises regarding land and fruitfulness (Gen 12:7, Gen 13:16, Gen 17:6). Furthermore, while overtly material, the physical prosperity detailed in the blessing would be crucial for the numerical growth and stability of the future nation of Israel, laying a groundwork for spiritual inheritance through the physical provision needed to exist and multiply. The imagery of dew is particularly poignant as it signifies a gentle, abundant, and sustaining grace, vital in arid environments—a fitting parallel to God's constant, quiet care.
Genesis 27 28 Commentary
Genesis 27:28 is a profound articulation of material blessing within the patriarchal narrative, showcasing God's sovereign hand working even through human fallibility. Isaac, although deceived, acted as a conduit for God's intended blessing upon Jacob. The blessings of "dew of heaven" and "fatness of the earth" highlight direct divine provision over and above human effort alone, contrasting implicitly with self-reliant or pagan views of fertility. "Dew," crucial in a land of scarce rain, emphasizes a continuous, quiet, yet powerful sustenance from God. "Fatness of the earth" speaks to fertile land, a cornerstone of prosperity for the burgeoning nation. The outcome of "plenty of grain and new wine" promises abundant sustenance and joy. This blessing establishes Jacob's material foundation for his future role in God's covenant, assuring him a land capable of sustaining the descendants who would become the nation of Israel. It serves as a testament to God's unfailing purpose and the power of a divinely inspired patriarchal pronouncement.