Genesis 27:8

 Genesis 27:8

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

a. ASV: Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: 'And now, my son, hearken to my voice, to that which I am commanding thee:  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: So now, my son, do exactly as I command you.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: So now, my son, heed my voice to that which i command you.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

e. Torah, Judaism and Jewish information on the web: www.chabad.org; Online English Translation of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible): And now my son, hearken to my voice, to what I am commanding you.  [English Translation, Ⓒ Copyright The Judaica Press All rights reserved.]

1. “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.”

a. [Now] therefore [Strong: 6258 `attah at-taw' from 6256; at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive:--henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.]

b. [my] son [Strong: 1121 ben bane from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

c. obey [Strong: 8085 shama` shaw-mah' a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

d. [my] voice [Strong: 6963 qowl kole or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim, proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, + yell.]

e. [according to] that which [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

f.  I [Strong: 589 'aniy an-ee' contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X which, X who.]

g. command [Strong: 6680 tsavah tsaw-vaw' a primitive root; (intensively) to constitute, enjoin:--appoint, (for-)bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.]

h. thee [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

1). What must be noted here is that the Lord God had already stated to Rebekah that the elder would serve the younger. God’s choice was that the family and messianic blessing would be put on Jacob. Isaac surely knew this and yet he was determined to bless Esau.   

2). Henry M. Morris, The Genesis record: The twins in her womb were of two utterly different and antagonistic temperaments. The nations which they would establish would inherit these tendencies. The struggle which had begun in her womb would continue throughout their lives and throughout the histories of their respective nations. Which, then, would prevail? The Lord was most specific in His reply: “The elder shall serve the younger.” The younger son would become stronger than the older, and would finally prevail. Since one of the two must carry on the Messianic line and must inherit the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant, it is crystal clear that God here told Rebekah that His covenant would be with the younger son, not the older. The younger must therefore receive the father’s inheritance and blessing, as Isaac had from Abraham. 

a). Romans 9:10-12 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

3). Don Costello: Frankly, after studying these chapters out concerning Jacob and Esau, it is no surprise that Jacob was preferred above Esau. In answer to her prayer of what was going on in her womb. [Genesis 25:23  “And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”] The LORD, who knows the beginning and the end, looked forward through the next 7 decades of the twin’s lives, and saw how each would respond to the graces given each, and chose Jacob over Esau. Earlier in their lives it was observed that Esau thought little of spiritual things. He despised his birthright. The Classic Amplified says: “Esau scorned his birthright as beneath his notice.”(Genesis 25:34). While in his forties Esau married two Canaanite women which were a grief of mind to his parents (Genesis 26). After Jacob left to go to Padam-aram to find a wife because Isaac and Rebekah disapproved of Canaanites for wives, Esau purposely went and sought another wife from the Canaanites (Genesis 28:8, 9). These spiritual rebellious choices throughout Esau’s life, being known to God in His Omniscience, he realized that desiring and allowing Esau to be the Messianic line would only end in disaster. Later commentary from the writer of Hebrews adds perfect reasonability to Jacob as God’s choice. Hebrews 12:15-17  “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Esau’s life was failure after failure of the grace of God.

4). Finis Jennings Dake: The family of Esau or Edom seemed to be stronger at first than Jacob’s (or israel’s), for they had dukes and kings long before Israel did (Genesis 36). And they were powerful enough to resist israel’s passage through their land when coming out of Egypt (Numbers 20). Later, David completely defeated them and made them subject to Israel for about 150 years (2 Samuel 8:14). After the Babylonian captivity, the Maccabees compelled them to leave their country or embrace the Jewish faith. From then on they were ruled by Israel. In the Millennium they will be under Israel (Psalm 60:8-10;Isaiah 11:14; Isaiah 63:1; Amos 9:12).