Genesis 27:40

³⁸ Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, O my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.

³⁹ His father Isaac answered him: “Behold, your dwelling place shall be away from the richness of the land, away from the dew of heaven above.

You shall live by the sword and serve your brother. But when you rebel, you will tear his yoke from your neck.”

⁴¹ Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

⁴² When the words of her older son Esau were relayed to Rebekah, she sent for her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you.

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: You shall live by the sword and serve your brother. But when you rebel, you will tear his yoke from your neck.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.”
ASV: And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother. And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt break loose, That thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.
DARBY: And by thy sword shalt thou live; And thou shalt serve thy brother; And it shall come to pass when thou rovest about, That thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
BLB: And by your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve. And it shall come to pass when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

ÅB: Av ditt sverd skal du leve, og din bror skal du tjene; men når du engang river deg løs, da skal du bryte hans åk av din nakke.
OTB: Ved ditt sverd skal du leve, og du skal tjene din bror. Men når du blir rastløs, skal du bryte hans åk fra din nakke.»
B1930: Av ditt sverd skal du leve, og din bror skal du tjene; men når du engang river dig løs, da skal du bryte hans åk av din nakke.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 25:23
and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
Read in context
2 Kings 8:20–22
In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
Read in context
2 Samuel 8:14
He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 25:11–12
Amaziah, however, summoned his strength and led his troops to the Valley of Salt, where he struck down 10,000 men of Seir,
Read in context
2 Chronicles 21:10
So to this day Edom has been in rebellion against the hand of Judah. Likewise, Libnah rebelled against his rule at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 21:8
In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
Read in context
Psalms 60:8
Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Read in context
2 Chronicles 28:17
The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away captives.
Read in context