Genesis 27:38-40

27:38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!” ¹  Then Esau wept loudly. ² 

27:39 So his father Isaac said to him,

“Indeed, ³  your home will be

away from the richness ⁴  of the earth,

and away from the dew of the sky above.

27:40 You will live by your sword

but you will serve your brother.

When you grow restless,

you will tear off his yoke

from your neck.” ⁵ 

[27:38]  ¹ tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:38]  ² tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”

[27:39]  ³ tn Heb “look.”

[27:39]  ⁴ tn Heb “from the fatness.”

[27:40]  ⁵ sn You will tear off his yoke from your neck. It may be that this prophetic blessing found its fulfillment when Jerusalem fell and Edom got its revenge. The oracle makes Edom subservient to Israel and suggests the Edomites would live away from the best land and be forced to sustain themselves by violent measures.