And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

GENESIS 27:4KJV
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Genesis 27:4 (KJV)

What does Genesis 27:4 mean?

Genesis 27:4 records Isaac asking his son Esau to prepare a meal he enjoys and bring it to him, so that Isaac can eat and then give Esau a special blessing before Isaac dies. Isaac wants to pass on a significant family blessing, believing his life is nearing its end.

In this scene, Isaac is speaking privately to Esau, his eldest son. Isaac requests Esau to hunt and cook a meal ("savoury meat") that Isaac loves, as a way to mark the occasion of giving his blessing. The verse sets the stage for the events that follow, where family relationships, tradition, and inheritance are at the center of the story.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 27:4

  • "Soul" (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh): This word often means "life" or "inner being." Here, Isaac says he wants his "soul" to bless Esau, emphasizing that the blessing is heartfelt and deeply personal.
  • "Bless" (בָּרַךְ, barakh): The Hebrew word for "bless" carries the sense of bestowing favor or a special future. In this context, it refers to the formal, spoken blessing that would shape Esau's destiny and status in the family.
  • "Before" (בְּ, bĕ): This word here means "before" in the sense of "prior to" or "in the presence of." Isaac is aware of his mortality and wants to bless Esau while he is still alive.

Why Genesis 27:4 matters

  • Genesis 27:4 highlights the importance of the patriarchal blessing in ancient Israelite culture, showing it was not just a casual wish but a significant, binding act.
  • The verse reveals Isaac's affection for Esau, as Isaac asks for a meal "such as I love," showing a personal connection and preference that influences his actions.
  • This request sets in motion the events that lead to Jacob receiving the blessing instead, making this verse a turning point in the story of Isaac's family and the future of the Israelites.

Where else these words appear

“meat” Hebrew H4303 · used in 8 verses

  • Genesis 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.
  • Genesis 27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
  • Genesis 27:31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.

“before” Hebrew H2962 · used in 8 verses

  • Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
  • Exodus 10:7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?
  • 1 Samuel 3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

“as” Hebrew H834 · used in 105 verses

  • Genesis 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
  • Genesis 38:10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
  • Deuteronomy 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: