When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights Isaac's extreme dimness of sight, which is not just a physical ailment of old age, but a crucial element of God's providential hand. This failing vision is presented as the very means by which God would ensure the intended heir, Jacob, received the blessing, not through Isaac's perfect discernment, but through divine oversight.
When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Isaac, now very old and nearly blind, calls his favored son Esau to him with the intention of bestowing the patriarchal blessing and inheritance. Unbeknownst to him, his wife Rebekah overhears this plan and immediately devises a scheme with her younger son Jacob to deceive Isaac and secure the blessing for Jacob instead.
Isaac's failing eyesight is more than just old age; it's a physical manifestation of a deeper spiritual reality at play.
When Isaac's eyes grew dim, it wasn't just an inconvenience; it was a pivotal moment orchestrated by God. The text highlights his physical blindness to set the stage for a spiritual unfolding. God's purposes often work through human limitations and perceived weaknesses. Isaac's inability to see clearly meant he couldn't rely on outward appearances, forcing him to depend on other senses and, ultimately, God's unseen hand guiding the situation. This allowed for the transfer of the blessing to Jacob, fulfilling God's preordained plan. It’s a powerful reminder that God’s ways are not our ways, and His wisdom can utilize our frailties to accomplish His will.
Isaac intended to bestow more than just a fatherly wish; he was passing on an inheritance of covenant promises.
The blessing Isaac intended to give Esau wasn't simply a heartfelt wish for his son's well-being. In the patriarchal tradition, this was a solemn act, a divinely sanctioned transfer of covenant promises. It was about securing the future of God's chosen lineage and the promised inheritance. These weren't just earthly possessions; they were tied to God's eternal covenant with Abraham, which included spiritual blessings and the continuation of the Messianic line. Isaac, despite his personal preferences and failing sight, was acting as an instrument to pass on this sacred trust. This highlights the profound significance of these blessings as conduits of God's ongoing redemptive plan.
Understand the original words
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ben · Hebrew Noun
Commonly used as a term of endearment, responsibility, and legal connection. It signifies a familial bond where the father maintains authority and the son carries the hope of the family line and inheritance.
hinneni · Hebrew Adverb/Interjection
A phrase used in ancient Hebrew to indicate immediate readiness and total availability to receive a command, often appearing in contexts of obedience to God or a superior.
c. 1835 BC
Birth of Esau and Jacob
Isaac and Rebekah's twin sons, Esau and Jacob, are born. The divine oracle predicts the younger will rule the elder.
c. 1795 BC
Esau Sells His Birthright
Esau, returning from the field hungry, sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. This act signifies his disregard for the spiritual heritage.
c. 1718 BC— this verse
Isaac's Eyes Dim
Isaac is now advanced in years, around 117 or 137, and his eyesight has failed, making him dependent on others. This physical limitation sets the stage for the deception.
c. 1718 BC
Jacob Obtains the Blessing
Through his mother Rebekah's scheme and his own deception, Jacob receives Isaac's patriarchal blessing intended for Esau.
c. 1718 BC
Esau's Bitter Grief
Upon discovering the deception, Esau cries out in bitter anguish and anger, realizing his birthright and blessing have been lost.
c. 1718 BC
Jacob Flees to Haran
Fearing Esau's wrath and following his mother's advice, Jacob flees his home to seek refuge with his uncle Laban in Haran.
This passage directly references the divine election of Jacob over Esau before their birth, highlighting that God's purpose is not based on human action but on His calling, which mirrors the predetermined spiritual inheritance at stake in Genesis 27.
Hebrews 12:16-17This passage uses Esau's story as a cautionary example of despising spiritual birthrights for fleeting pleasures, directly linking his sorrow and tears to his earlier disregard for what he sold for a meal, underscoring the eternal consequences of such choices.
Galatians 3:15-18Paul uses the Abrahamic covenant, passed through Isaac and then Jacob, to explain how God's promises are established by divine decree, not by human law or lineage manipulation, reinforcing the idea that the blessing was God's to give and secure.
2 Corinthians 1:20This verse states that all of God's promises are 'yes' in Christ, echoing the certainty of the promises Isaac was meant to pass on through the patriarchal blessing, showing that God's word and purposes are steadfast, even when human actions are flawed.
calvinGenesis 27:1-46: "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I."
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it
Ribca autem audiebat, dum loqueretur Ishac ad Esau filium suum: et perrexit Esau in agrum, ut venaretur venationem, ut afferret.
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob h…
pooleGenesis 27:1: "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I."
Isaac being aged, sends Esau for venison, that he might eat thereof, and bless him, Genesis 27:1-4 . Esau obeys his father, Genesis 27:5 . Rebekah hearing it, tells Jacob, Genesis 27:6,7 . Her contrivance and advice to him to intercept the blessing, Genesis 27:8-10 . Jacob is afraid of a…
The verse highlights Isaac's extreme dimness of sight, which is not just a physical ailment of old age, but a crucial element of God's providential hand. This failing vision is presented as the very means by which God would ensure the intended heir, Jacob, received the blessing, not through Isaac's perfect discernment, but through divine oversight.
Isaac, now very old and nearly blind, calls his favored son Esau to him with the intention of bestowing the patriarchal blessing and inheritance. Unbeknownst to him, his wife Rebekah overhears this plan and immediately devises a scheme with her younger son Jacob to deceive Isaac and secure the blessing for Jacob instead.
Isaac, now very old and nearly blind, calls his favored son Esau to him with the intention of bestowing the patriarchal blessing and inheritance. Unbeknownst to him, his wife Rebekah overhears this plan and immediately devises a scheme with her younger son Jacob to deceive Isaac and secure the blessing for Jacob instead.
"When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.”" — The verse highlights Isaac's extreme dimness of sight, which is not just a physical ailment of old age, but a crucial element of God's providential hand. This failing vision is presented as the very…
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Last reviewed October 2026