Genesis 27:29

Covenant and promises

²⁷ And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

²⁸ Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

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.

³⁰ And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

³¹ And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul 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 couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
Read in context
Genesis 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Read in context
Isaiah 49:23
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Read in context
Genesis 9:25–26
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Read in context
Romans 9:12
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Read in context
Isaiah 45:14
Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
Read in context
Psalms 72:8
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Read in context
Genesis 22:17–18
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Read in context