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Selected Verse: Genesis 27:28 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ge 27:28	Strong Concordance	Therefore God [0430] give [05414] thee of the dew [02919] of heaven [08064], and the fatness [04924] of the earth [0776], and plenty [07230] of corn [01715] and wine [08492]:
	King James	Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
THE BLESSING. (Gen. 27:28-46) God give thee of the dew of heaven--To an Oriental mind, this phraseology implied the highest flow of prosperity. The copious fall of dew is indispensable to the fruitfulness of lands, which would be otherwise arid and sterile through the violent heat; and it abounds most in hilly regions, such as Canaan, hence called the "fat land" (Neh 9:25, Neh 9:35). plenty of corn and wine--Palestine was famous for vineyards, and it produced varieties of corn, namely, wheat, barley, oats, and rye.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

THE BLESSING. (Gen. 27:28-46)

God give thee of the dew of heaven--To an Oriental mind, this phraseology implied the highest flow of prosperity. The copious fall of dew is indispensable to the fruitfulness of lands, which would be otherwise arid and sterile through the violent heat; and it abounds most in hilly regions, such as Canaan, hence called the "fat land" (Neh 9:25, Neh 9:35).

plenty of corn and wine--Palestine was famous for vineyards, and it produced varieties of corn, namely, wheat, barley, oats, and rye.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
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 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 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; Num 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 Hushal compares an army ready to fall upon its enemies to a dew falling on the ground, Sa2 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 ουθαρ αρουρης, Ilias ix., 141, and Virgil uber glebae, Aeneid 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, Deu 33:13, Deu 33:28; Mic 5:7; Zac 8:12; and, on the other hand, the withholding of these denotes barrenness, distress, and the curse of God; Sa2 1:21. See Dodd.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

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 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 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; Num 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 Hushal compares an army ready to fall upon its enemies to a dew falling on the ground, Sa2 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 ουθαρ αρουρης, Ilias ix., 141, and Virgil uber glebae, Aeneid 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, Deu 33:13, Deu 33:28; Mic 5:7; Zac 8:12; and, on the other hand, the withholding of these denotes barrenness, distress, and the curse of God; Sa2 1:21. See Dodd.

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³⁵ For they have not served [05647] thee in their kingdom [04438], and in thy great [07227] goodness [02898] that thou gavest [05414] them, and in the large [07342] and fat [08082] land [0776] which thou gavest [05414] before [06440] them, neither turned [07725] they from their wicked [07451] works [04611].

²⁵ And they took [03920] strong [01219] cities [05892], and a fat [08082] land [0127], and possessed [03423] houses [01004] full [04392] of all goods [02898], wells [0953] digged [02672], vineyards [03754], and oliveyards [02132], and fruit [03978] trees [06086] in abundance [07230]: so they did eat [0398], and were filled [07646], and became fat [08080], and delighted [05727] themselves in thy great [01419] goodness [02898].

²¹ Ye mountains [02022] of Gilboa [01533], let there be no dew [02919], neither let there be rain [04306], upon you, nor fields [07704] of offerings [08641]: for there the shield [04043] of the mighty [01368] is vilely cast away [01602], the shield [04043] of Saul [07586], as though he had not been anointed [04899] with oil [08081].

¹² For the seed [02233] shall be prosperous [07965]; the vine [01612] shall give [05414] her fruit [06529], and the ground [0776] shall give [05414] her increase [02981], and the heavens [08064] shall give [05414] their dew [02919]; and I will cause the remnant [07611] of this people [05971] to possess [05157] all these things.

⁷ And the remnant [07611] of Jacob [03290] shall be in the midst [07130] of many [07227] people [05971] as a dew [02919] from the LORD [03068], as the showers [07241] upon the grass [06212], that tarrieth [06960] not for man [0376], nor waiteth [03176] for the sons [01121] of men [0120].

²⁸ Israel [03478] then shall dwell [07931] in safety [0983] alone [0910]: the fountain [05869] of Jacob [03290] shall be upon a land [0776] of corn [01715] and wine [08492]; also his heavens [08064] shall drop down [06201] dew [02919].

¹³ And of Joseph [03130] he said [0559], Blessed [01288] of the LORD [03068] be his land [0776], for the precious things [04022] of heaven [08064], for the dew [02919], and for the deep [08415] that coucheth beneath [07257],

¹² So shall we come [0935] upon him in some [0259] place [04725] where he shall be found [04672], and we will light [05168] upon him as the dew [02919] falleth [05307] on the ground [0127]: and of him and of all the men [0582] that are with him there shall not be left [03498] so much as [01571] one [0259].

³⁸ And it was so: for he rose up early [07925] on the morrow [04283], and thrust [02115] the fleece [01492] together [02115], and wringed [04680] the dew [02919] out of the fleece [01492], a bowl [05602] full [04393] of water [04325].

³ And I hated [08130] Esau [06215], and laid [07760] his mountains [02022] and his heritage [05159] waste [08077] for the dragons [08568] of the wilderness [04057].

¹⁷ Let us pass [05674], I pray thee, through thy country [0776]: we will not pass [05674] through the fields [07704], or through the vineyards [03754], neither will we drink [08354] of the water [04325] of the wells [0875]: we will go [03212] by the king's [04428] high way [01870], we will not turn [05186] to the right hand [03225] nor to the left [08040], until we have passed [05674] thy borders [01366].

³⁹ And Isaac [03327] his father [01] answered [06030] and said [0559] unto him, Behold, thy dwelling [04186] shall be the fatness [04924] of the earth [0776], and of the dew [02919] of heaven [08064] from above [05920];