Genesis 27:33 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

Navigator

Genesis 27:33

Comments

Isaac instantly realises that God has overruled. He has been deceived, and that was wrong, but God has allowed it to happen, and he has been overruled; he has been wrong all along, and he begins to shake with the realisation. ‘And Isaac trembled very exceedingly’, the Hebrew says something like, very excessively, ‘and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison?’, but he would not allow his mind to be changed. One can imagine that in the strength of his emotion, he lost control of his limbs so that in a state of shock he was unable to prevent this great display of agitation. The cause of it was the realisation that in spite of his carefully laid plans he had been thwarted. But the deepest cause of shock to him was not that he had been thwarted by Jacob but by the Lord. This was partly the trembling of conviction of sin. He had tried to do this thing furtively and had in effect tried to steal the blessing from God for the wrong son. He had attempted to keep it from Rebekah and had acted contrary to her wishes and to the oracle given her when the twins were still in her womb. He had also acted contrary to the character of the two sons, for Esau had already shown himself to be a godless man, taking two heathen wives to the distress of both his parents. Isaac had indeed been tricked into blessing the wrong son. He later no doubt discovered everything that had been done by Rebekah and Jacob. But how could he be angry with them when he needed to be most angry with himself and when the Lord was certainly on their side in this matter.

Application

Questions

The writer to the Hebrews tells us that, ‘By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come’ (Hebrews 11:20). This statement is all the more remarkable considering Isaac’s intention and how that intention was thwarted. An act can surely only be an act of faith if it is done knowingly and not if it is done in ignorance. A prayer can only be a prayer of faith if what is sought from God is what is received. But Isaac sought the blessing for Esau and received it for Jacob. How was this an act of faith? The answer is that when Isaac found out that he had been deceived, he did not try to change the blessing and give it to Esau instead. He gave this blessing in faith because it was not his blessing but the Lord’s and he knew it would be received. And then as it turned out in chapter 28:3-4 he did give a further blessing to Jacob when he dismissed him. ‘And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee.’ So the Abrahamic blessing went fully to Jacob.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Genesis 27:33 Commentary and Bible Study