Genesis 27:40

³⁸ And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

³⁹ And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

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.

⁴¹ And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

⁴² And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

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 the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Read in context
2 Kings 8:20–22
In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
Read in context
2 Samuel 8:14
And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 25:11–12
And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 21:10
So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 21:8
In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
Read in context
Psalms 60:8
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 28:17
For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
Read in context