Genesis 27:37 kjv

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

Genesis 27:37 nkjv

Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?"

Genesis 27:37 niv

Isaac answered Esau, "I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?"

Genesis 27:37 esv

Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?"

Genesis 27:37 nlt

Isaac said to Esau, "I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine ? what is left for me to give you, my son?"

Genesis 27 verses

Genesis 27 37 Meaning

Genesis 27:37 captures Isaac's declaration to Esau after unwittingly blessing Jacob. Isaac reveals the comprehensive nature of the blessing Jacob received, stating that Jacob has been made master over Esau, granted all his brothers as servants, and abundantly sustained with provisions like grain and wine. Isaac's concluding rhetorical question, "What then can I do for you, my son?" expresses his deep distress and perceived inability to bestow any further meaningful blessing upon Esau, signifying the irreversible and all-encompassing nature of Jacob's stolen blessing.

Genesis 27 37 Context

Genesis chapter 27 is a pivotal narrative depicting Rebekah's orchestrating of Jacob deceiving the aged, blind Isaac to steal the firstborn blessing intended for Esau. The deception involves Jacob disguising himself as Esau, presenting Isaac with savory food. Having consumed the meal and being convinced of Jacob's identity through touch and smell, Isaac bestows the coveted blessing of mastery, dominion, and material prosperity upon Jacob. Shortly after, Esau returns from hunting and discovers the deception, leading to his profound grief and bitter outcry. Isaac's statement in verse 37 is his anguished response to Esau's plea for a blessing, acknowledging the comprehensive and irreversible nature of the blessing already given to Jacob and his own powerlessness to alter it. The broader historical-cultural context highlights the critical importance of the patriarchal blessing as a divinely-ordained, irrevocable conferment of status, inheritance, and future prosperity within ancient Near Eastern societies, carrying immense spiritual and social weight.

Genesis 27 37 Word analysis

• And Isaac answered: וַיַּעַן יִצְחָק (wayya'an yitshaq). Indicates a response to Esau's profound emotional outburst in Gen 27:34, emphasizing the gravity and sorrow of the moment.

• and said to Esau: וַיֹּאמֶר לְעֵשָׂו (wayyomer le'esav). A direct, albeit lamenting, communication to his deeply wounded son.

• Behold,: הִנֵּה (hinneh). An interjection drawing attention, equivalent to "Indeed!" or "Look!" It introduces a declaration of stark reality and finality concerning the blessing given.

• I have made him your master: שַׂמְתִּיו גְּבִיר לָךְ (samtiw gevīr lakh).

  • I have made him: שַׂמְתִּיו (samtiw), a perfect tense verb, conveying a completed and therefore unalterable action. It implies a definite appointment or establishment.
  • your master: גְּבִיר לָךְ (gevīr lakh). גְּבִיר (gevīr) means "master," "lord," or "powerful one," indicating dominion, authority, and superiority. This directly echoes the "master over your brothers" phrase in the actual blessing (Gen 27:29). This implies that Jacob's authority extends even to Esau himself, the true firstborn.

• and all his brothers: וְאֶת־כָּל־אֶחָיו (ve'et-kol-echayv). This comprehensive phrase means "all his male kin" or "all his fellow members of the family/clan." While Esau is Isaac's only other biological son, this idiom signifies total dominion over all current and future familial relations and, by extension, tribes.

• I have given to him for servants: נָתַתִּי לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים (natattī lo la'avadim).

  • I have given: נָתַתִּי (natattī), another perfect tense verb, reinforcing the established and irreversible nature of the granting.
  • for servants: לַעֲבָדִים (la'avadim), plural, stressing the extensive nature of the servitude Jacob's family would receive, signifying political and social subservience. This directly fulfils the prophetic element of the blessing.

• and with grain: וְדָגָן (vedagan). A staple crop, symbolizing basic sustenance, agricultural wealth, and prosperity necessary for a thriving nation.

• and wine: וְתִירוֹשׁ (vetirosh). New wine, representing not just sustenance but also abundance, joy, and the good life associated with God's blessings. These two elements (grain and wine) signify a comprehensive material prosperity and economic well-being, reiterating a key part of Jacob's blessing (Gen 27:28).

• I have sustained him: סְמַכְתִּיו (semakh-tīw). Means "I have upheld him," "supported him," or "provided for him." This highlights the comprehensive nature of the provisions already bestowed upon Jacob, encompassing not just specific items but total life support and prosperity from Isaac's paternal blessing.

• What then can I do for you, my son?: וּלְךָ אֵפוֹא מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה בְּנִי (u-lekha epho ma e'eseh beniy).

  • What then: וּלְךָ אֵפוֹא מָה (u-lekha epho ma) is a rhetorical question conveying Isaac's profound sense of powerlessness and despair. He believes he has expended all his blessing potential on Jacob, leaving nothing left to grant Esau.
  • my son: בְּנִי (beniy), expresses Isaac's lament and sorrow for Esau, acknowledging his plight while simultaneously being unable to remedy it due to the irreversible blessing.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Behold, I have made him your master, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants": This clause encapsulates the transfer of patriarchal authority and the promise of dominion, reversing the natural order of primogeniture. It emphasizes the complete reversal of power dynamics from Esau to Jacob, fulfilling God's earlier prophetic declaration in Gen 25:23.
  • "and with grain and wine I have sustained him": This part highlights the comprehensive material blessing bestowed, symbolizing a life of prosperity and divine favor that includes both necessities and abundance. It points to a well-resourced future, characteristic of a blessed covenant family.
  • "What then can I do for you, my son?": This final rhetorical question dramatically underscores the irrevocability of the blessing in the ancient Israelite mindset. It reflects Isaac's human despair and sense of finality regarding his power to bless, a recognition that a singular, all-encompassing patriarchal blessing could only be given once.

Genesis 27 37 Bonus section

The binding nature of a patriarchal blessing in the Bible often correlates with the concept of a verbal covenant, carrying the weight of an oath before God. Once pronounced, such a declaration was considered enacted in the spiritual realm, possessing performative power, and largely immutable, reflecting the immutability of God Himself (Num 23:19). This passage also prefigures later historical events where Edom (descended from Esau) would indeed be subjugated by Israel (descended from Jacob), for instance, under King David (2 Sam 8:13-14). Furthermore, this episode is critical for understanding the subsequent conflicts and dynamics between the nations of Israel and Edom. It teaches that while human sin and deception are evident, God’s ultimate purposes are not derailed but often unfold through, and despite, human actions. Isaac’s declaration reinforces the truth that God is the one who ultimately raises up and casts down (1 Sam 2:7), establishing kings and sustaining nations according to His sovereign will.

Genesis 27 37 Commentary

Genesis 27:37 serves as a poignant expression of a patriarch's binding word, showcasing both the immediate, tragic consequences of Jacob's deception and the overarching sovereignty of God. Isaac's despair is genuine; from his perspective, a patriarchal blessing was not merely a wish but a performative, divine declaration, impossible to retract or replicate in its full scope once uttered. He has exhausted his paternal blessing authority, believing there is literally nothing left of that magnitude to give Esau. This underscores the cultural belief in the potency and finality of such blessings. More profoundly, Isaac's seemingly helpless statement unwittingly affirms the divine plan (Gen 25:23) for Jacob's ascendancy, revealing that God's purpose cannot be thwarted even by human frailty and deceit. Though Jacob acted wrongly, God's election of Jacob was not dependent on Jacob's moral perfection but on His sovereign choice (Rom 9:11-13). This verse, therefore, speaks to the serious nature of a despised birthright (Heb 12:16-17) and the awesome power God vests in prophetic utterances, even when pronounced by a fallible human agent under duress.