“And by your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck.”
Parallel translations
- WEB By your sword will you live, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you shall shake his yoke from off your neck.”
- KJV And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
- BSB You shall live by the sword and serve your brother. But when you rebel, you will tear his yoke from your neck.”
- NKJV By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.”
- NLT You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Esau will live by the sword and serve his brother, yet will one day break free of his yoke.
Overview
Isaac foretells a future of conflict and subjection for Esau, with an eventual breaking loose. This was fulfilled in the long history of Edom's relations with Israel, including periods of subjection and later revolt. The prophecy shows God's word over the brothers extending to their nations, all under His sovereign rule.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 2 Kgs 8:20–22In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
- Gen 25:23Yahweh said to her, “Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.”
- 2 Sam 8:14He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.
- 2 Chr 21:8In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
- 2 Chr 25:11–12Amaziah took courage, and led his people out, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir.
- 2 Chr 21:10So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers.
- 2 Chr 28:17For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives.
- Ps 60:8Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my shoe on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia.”
- 2 Kgs 14:10You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you fall, even you, and Judah with you?’”
- Obad 1:17–21But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
- 2 Kgs 14:7He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.
- 1 Kgs 11:15–17For when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom
- Gen 32:6The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau. Not only that, but he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him.”
- 1 Chr 18:11–13King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, from Moab, from the children of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.
- Matt 10:34“Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 27:40 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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