Isaac his father answered him, “Behold, your dwelling will be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of the sky from above.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 39. Moved; yet not so as to repent of what he had done; for Esau found no place of repentance in his father’s breast, although with tears he had sought it, (Hebrews 12:17) desiring to obtain the blessing of the first-born. Bible.—In the fat, and so forth Idumea was a barren country; and hence some would translate the Hebrew “far from the fat … shall they dwelling be; but thou shalt live by the sword.” Thus min often means from, as well as for in: my flesh is changed on account of the want of oil, Psalms 109:24. Hebrew a pinguedine. Calmet.—But all the ancient versions agree with the Vulg. So that we may say, the blessing of God made those barren regions supply the wants of the people abundantly; and so the Idumeans were to live by the sword, they would seize the rich habitations of their neighbours, ( Bible.) and thus obtain a country rendered fertile without their labour. Menochius.