Genesis 27:29

Covenant and promises

²⁷ So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.

²⁸ May God give to you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth— an abundance of grain and new wine.

May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”

³⁰ As soon as Isaac had finished blessing him and Jacob had left his father’s presence, his brother Esau returned from the hunt.

³¹ He too made some tasty food, brought it to his father, and said to him, “My father, sit up and eat of your son’s game, so that you may bless me.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
KJV: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
WEB: Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
ASV: Let peoples serve thee, And nations bow down to thee. Be lord over thy brethren, And let thy mother`s sons bow down to thee. Cursed be every one that curseth thee, And blessed be every one that blesseth thee.
DARBY: Let peoples serve thee, And races bow down to thee. Be lord over thy brethren, And let thy mother's sons bow down to thee. Cursed be they that curse thee, And blessed be they that bless thee.
BLB: May peoples serve you and may nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. Those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”

ÅB: Folk skal tjene deg, og folkeslag skal falle deg til fote; vær herre over dine brødre, og måtte din mors sønner falle deg til fote! Forbannet være den som forbanner deg, og velsignet den som velsigner deg!
OTB: Måtte folkeslag tjene deg og folk bøye seg for deg. Vær herre over dine brødre, og måtte din mors sønner bøye seg for deg. Forbannet være de som forbanner deg, og velsignet være de som velsigner deg.»
B1930: Folk skal tjene dig, og folkeslag skal falle dig til fote; vær herre over dine brødre, og måtte din mors sønner falle dig til fote! Forbannet være den som forbanner dig, og velsignet den som velsigner dig!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Numbers 24:9
He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
Read in context
Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
Read in context
Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”
Read in context
Genesis 9:25–26
he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Read in context
Romans 9:12
not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
Read in context
Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you; they will come over in chains and bow down to you. They will confess to you: ‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other; there is no other God.’”
Read in context
Psalms 72:8
May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.
Read in context
Genesis 22:17–18
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
Read in context