Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
28. And God give thee ] The blessing of the firstborn in this and the following verse is solemnly pronounced by Isaac. It is irrevocable; see Gen 27:33. It invokes ( a) blessings of fertility upon the soil, ( b) blessings of victory over other nations, ( c) blessings of predominance over kindred tribes and clans.
This invocation is closed by the short and solemn utterance of a curse against the foe, and of a benediction upon the friend.
the dew of heaven ] The blessing from above, cf. Gen 49:25, “with blessings of heaven above.” In a hot country the dew falling heavily by night is a source of fruitfulness to the land; and gives refreshing coolness to the atmosphere. Cf. Deu 33:13; Deu 33:28; Zec 8:12.
the fatness of the earth ] The other side of the blessing of prosperity is supplied by the fertility of the soil, for which the Heb. expression is “the fat things.” By “the earth” is clearly indicated a parallel to “the heaven” in the previous clause. There is no need for supposing, as some scholars have done, that Isaac here identifies Canaan with “the earth.” See Num 13:20; Neh 9:25; Neh 9:35, “fat land”; Isa 28:1, “fat valley”; Eze 34:14, “fat pasture.”
plenty of corn and wine ] The two most typical illustrations of agricultural wealth; cf. Exo 22:5; Num 20:17. We find “corn,” “wine,” and “oil,” represented as the three blessings of the soil in Deu 7:13; and “corn” and “wine” in Deu 33:28; Psa 4:7.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 28. God give thee of the dew of heaven] Bp. Newton’s view of these predictions is so correct and appropriate, as to leave no wish for any thing farther on the subject.
“It is here foretold, and in Ge 27:39, of these two brethren, that as to situation, and other temporal advantages, they should be much alike. It was said to Jacob: God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine; and much the same is said to Esau, Ge 27:39: Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. The spiritual blessing, or the promise of the blessed seed, could be given only to ONE; but temporal good things might be imparted to both. Mount Seir, and the adjacent country, was at first in the possession of the Edomites; they afterwards extended themselves farther into Arabia, and into the southern parts of Judea. But wherever they were situated, we find in fact that the Edomites, in temporal advantages, were little inferior to the Israelites. Esau had cattle and beasts and substance in abundance, and he went to dwell in Seir of his own accord; but he would hardly have removed thither with so many cattle, had it been such a barren and desolate country as some would represent it. The Edomites had dukes and kings reigning over them, while the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. When the Israelites, on their return, desired leave to pass through the territories of Edom, it appears that the country abounded with FRUITFUL FIELDS and VINEYARDS: Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country; we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells; Nu 20:17. And the prophecy of Malachi, which is generally alleged as a proof of the barrenness of the country, is rather a proof of the contrary: I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness, Mal 1:3; for this implies that the country was fruitful before, and that its present unfruitfulness was rather an effect of war, than any natural defect in the soil. If the country is unfruitful now, neither is Judea what it was formerly.” As there was but little rain in Judea, except what was termed the early rain, which fell about the beginning of spring, and the latter rain, which fell about September, the lack of this was supplied by the copious dews which fell both morning and evening, or rather through the whole of the night. And we may judge, says Calmet, of the abundance of those dews by what fell on Gideon’s fleece, Jdg 6:38, which being wrung filled a bowl. And Hushai compares an army ready to fall upon its enemies to a dew falling on the ground, 2Sa 17:12, which gives us the idea that this fluid fell in great profusion, so as to saturate every thing. Travellers in these countries assure us that the dews fall there in an extraordinary abundance.
The fatness of the earth] What Homer calls , Ilias ix., 141, and Virgil uber glebae, AEneis i., 531, both signifying a soil naturally fertile. Under this, therefore, and the former expressions, Isaac wishes his son all the blessings which a plentiful country can produce; for, as Le Clerc rightly observes, if the dews and seasonable rains of heaven fall upon a fruitful soil, nothing but human industry is wanting to the plentiful enjoyment of all temporal good things. Hence they are represented in the Scripture as emblems of prosperity, of plenty, and of the blessing of God, De 33:13; De 33:28; Mic 5:7; Zec 8:12; and, on the other hand, the withholding of these denotes barrenness, distress, and the curse of God; 2Sa 1:21. See Dodd.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God give thee, or, will give; for it is both a prayer and a prophecy. He mentions the
dew rather than the rain, because it was of more constant use and necessity in those parts than the rain, which fell considerably but twice in a year, the first being called the former, and the other the latter rain. And under this and the following blessings, which are but temporal, are comprehended all manner of blessings, both spiritual, temporal, and eternal, according to the usage of that time and state of the church.
The fatness of the earth; a fat and fruitfill land, which Canaan was, abounding with all sorts of precious fruits. Compare Deu 8:8; 32:13,14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
28. God give thee of the dew ofheavenTo an Oriental mind, this phraseology implied thehighest flow of prosperity. The copious fall of dew is indispensableto the fruitfulness of lands, which would be otherwise arid andsterile through the violent heat; and it abounds most in hillyregions, such as Canaan, hence called the “fat land”(Neh 9:25; Neh 9:35).
plenty of corn andwinePalestine was famous for vineyards, and it producedvarieties of corn, namely, wheat, barley, oats, and rye.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven,…. Or “shall” or “will give thee” x, seeing he was blessed of God, and the blessed seed should spring from him, as well as his posterity should inherit the land of Canaan; for this is said rather by way of prophecy than wish, and so all that follow; and the dew of heaven is the rather mentioned, not only because that makes the earth fruitful on which it plentifully falls, but likewise because the land of Canaan, the portion of Jacob’s posterity, much needed it, and had it, for rain fell there but seldom, only twice a year, in spring and autumn; and between these two rains, the one called the former, the other the latter rain, the land was impregnated and made fruitful by plentiful dews; and these signified figuratively both the doctrines and blessings of grace, which all Jacob’s spiritual offspring, such as are Israelites indeed, are partakers of, and especially under the Gospel dispensation, see
De 32:2:
and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine; and such the land of Canaan was, a fat and fertile land, abounding with all good things, see De 8:8; by which are figured the plenty of Gospel provisions, the word and ordinances, which God has given to his Jacob and Israel in all ages, as he has not given to other people, and especially in the times of the Messiah, Jacob’s eminent seed and son, see Ps 147:19.
x “dabit ergo tibi”, Schmidt; so Ainsworth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(28) Therefore God give thee.Heb., And the Elohim give thee. Here, as not unfrequently is the case, the name Elohim follows immediately upon that of Jehovah. As the blessings of dew and fertile land are the gifts of the God of nature, the use of the title Elohim is in accordance with the general rule.
The fatness of the earth.Heb., the fatnesses: that is, the fat places. In the countries where Esau and Jacob were to have their homes, the land varies from districts of extraordinary fertility to regions of barren rock and sterile sand. It was these rich fields which Isaacs blessing conveyed to Jacob.
Wine.Not the word used in Gen. 27:25, but tirosh, the unfermented juice of the grape. It thus goes properly with corn, both being the natural produce of the field.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
28. Dew of heaven Of the greatest importance to the fruitfulness of a land like Palestine . Comp . Gen 49:25; Deu 33:13; Deu 33:28; Hos 14:6.
Fatness of the earth The fat portions of the land, or most fertile districts . Thus Isaac wills to this son the more desirable portions of the land of promise .
Corn and wine Representatives of the income of the fields .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 27:28. God give thee, &c. It is here foretold, and in Gen 27:39 of these two brethren, that, as to situation and other temporal advantages, they should be much alike. It was said to Jacob, God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: and much the same is said to Esau, Gen 27:39. Behold, thy dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. The spiritual blessing, indeed, or the promise of the blessed Seed, could be given only to one; but temporal good things might be communicated to both. Mount Seir, with the adjacent country, was at first the possession of the Edomites: they afterwards extended themselves farther into Arabia, as they did also into the southern parts of Judea. But wherever they were situated, we find, in fact, that the Edomites, in temporal advantages, were for many ages little inferior to the Israelites. Esau had cattle, and beasts, and substance in abundance, and he went to dwell in Seir of his own accord: but he would hardly have removed thither with so many cattle, had it been such a barren and desolate country as some would represent it. (ch. Gen 36:6-8.) The Edomites had dukes and kings reigning over them, while the Israelites were slaves in AEgypt. When the Israelites, in their return out of AEgypt, desired leave to pass through the territories of Edom, it appears that the country abounded with fruitful fields and vineyards; Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells, Num 20:17. If the country be barren and unfruitful now, so neither is Judea what formerly it was. The face of any country is much changed in a long course of years; and it is totally a different thing when a country is regularly cultivated by inhabitants living under a settled government, than when tyranny prevails, and the land is left desolate. It is frequently seen that God, as the Psalmist says, (Psa 107:34.) turneth a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
The dew of heaven In those warm countries where rain commonly falls but at two seasons of the year, viz. about April and October, hence called the former and the latter rain, Deu 11:14 the copious fall of the morning and evening dews in a great measure supplied the place of rain; though the name dew may well be supposed to include rain, which is only a more copious dew. But as both are so necessary to fructify the earth, especially in thirsty climates, hence they are represented in Scripture as emblems of plenty, prosperity, and the blessing of God, Deu 13:18. Mic 5:7. Zec 8:12. And, on the other hand, the withholding of these denotes barrenness, distress, and the curse of God, 2Sa 1:21. Hag 1:10.
The fatness of the earth What Homer calls , and Virgil, uber glebae. Under this, therefore, and the former expression, Isaac wishes his son all the blessings which a plentiful country can produce. For, as Le Clerc observes, if the dews and seasonable rains of heaven fall upon a fertile soil, nothing but human industry is wanting to the plentiful enjoyment of all temporal good things. And this prophetic prayer was remarkably answered, by God’s settling the Israelites in the possession of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
See Heb 11:20 . Reader! remember every other mercy centers in Christ. Psa 72:17 . Compare Num 23:7-10 , and Num 23:19-23 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 27:28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
Ver. 28. God give thee of the dew. ] For that country was dry and thirsty. They had rain, say some, but twice a year; the former in seedtime, and the latter rain in May. The blessings here bestowed are plenty, victory, domestical preeminency, and outward prosperity. Esau likewise hath the like, but not with a God give thee. But beyond all these, “some better thing” was provided and promised. Erant enim speculum, et pignus coelestium. The Church of Rome borrows her mark from the market plenty, or cheapness, &c.; she vaunts of her temporal felicity, and makes a catalogue of the strange victories which the Catholics have had. Immo vix unquam fuerunt Haeretici superiores, quando iusto proelio dimicatum est, saith Bellarmine. a Upon one of the Easter holidays, saith George Marsh, martyr, Master Sherburn and Master More sent for me, persuading me much to leave mine opinions, saying, all the bringers up and favourers of that religion had ill luck, and were either put to death, or in prison, and in danger of life. b Again, the favourers of the religion now used, had wondrous good luck and prosperity in all things. These wizards, these “disputers of this world,” as the apostle calls them, 1Co 1:20 either knew not, or believed not, that the Church is the heir of the Cross, Ecclesia haeres Crucis, as an ancient speaketh; that opposition is, as Calvin wrote to the French king, Evangelii genius , – the bad genius that dogs the gospel; that truth breeds hatred, c as the fair nymphs did the ill favoured fawns and satyrs, and seldom goes without a scratched face. Some halcyons the Church hath here, as in Constantine’s time ( Repugnante contra temetipsam tua faelicitate, saith Salvian, in his first book to the Catholic Church); but grace she shall be sure of here, “with persecution”; and glory hereafter without interruption. As for outward things, aut aderunt sane, aut non oberunt; either she shall have them, or be as well without them. God shall be her cornucopia; her All-sufficient; her “shield and exceeding great reward.” Sine Deo, omnis copia est egestas.
a Bell., tom. ii. lib. iv. cap. ult.
b Act. and Mon., fol. 1421.
c Veritas odium parit. – Ter.
corn. Put by Metonymy (of the Cause), App-6, for bread and solid food generally. Compare Lam 2:12.
wine. Hebrew. tirosh. See App-27. Usually combined with “corn”, as put by Metonymy (of the Cause) for all liquids.
of the dew: Deu 11:11, Deu 11:12, Deu 32:2, Deu 33:13, Deu 33:28, 2Sa 1:21, 1Ki 17:1, Psa 65:9-13, Psa 133:3, Isa 45:8, Jer 14:22, Hos 14:5-7, Mic 5:7, Heb 11:20
the fatness: Gen 27:39, Gen 45:18, Gen 49:20, Num 13:20, Psa 36:8, Rom 11:17
plenty: Deu 7:13, Deu 8:7-9, Deu 33:28, Jos 5:6, 1Ki 5:11, 2Ch 2:10, Psa 65:9, Psa 65:13, Psa 104:15, Joe 2:19, Zec 9:17
Reciprocal: Gen 22:17 – in blessing Gen 27:37 – with Gen 32:29 – blessed Gen 48:9 – bless them Exo 21:2 – an Hebrew Job 38:28 – dew Pro 3:20 – the clouds Zec 8:12 – the heavens
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge