The Meaning of Genesis 27:38 Explained

Genesis 27:38

KJV: And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

YLT: And Esau saith unto his father, 'One blessing hast thou my father? bless me, me also, O my father;' and Esau lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.

Darby: And Esau said to his father, Hast thou then but one blessing, my father? bless me me also, my father! And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

ASV: And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Esau  said  unto his father,  Hast thou but one  blessing,  my father?  bless  me, [even] me also, O my father.  And Esau  lifted up  his voice,  and wept. 

What does Genesis 27:38 Mean?

Study Notes

and Esau
Esau wept because of a lost advantage, but "found no way to change his mind, though he sought it carefully with tears" Hebrews 12:17 so far may regret or remorse be from true repentance:

Context Summary

Genesis 27:30-45 - Esau's Grief And Anger
Esau apparently had awakened to realize the value of the blessing of the birthright which he had treated so lightly. His exceeding great and bitter cry expressed the anguish of one who awakes to discover that he has forfeited the best for a trifle. But obviously, he was only being held to his own original contract with Jacob. There are similar events in all lives when we take some irrevocable step under the sway of evil passion, and it affects the whole future. There is "no place for repentance"-i.e., no opportunity of altering the decisive effect, of that act. See Hebrews 12:17. We may obtain some lower and inferior blessing, as Esau did, acquiring something of the fatness of the earth and the dew of heaven, living by our sword, and finally, after long years, shaking the yoke from our neck, but we can never be what we might have been! We can never undo that moment of sowing to the flesh. See Galatians 6:7-8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 27

1  Isaac sends Esau for venison
6  Rebekah instructs Jacob to obtain the blessing
14  Jacob, feigning to be Esau, obtains it
30  Esau brings venison
33  Isaac trembles
34  Esau complains, and by importunity obtains a blessing
41  He threatens Jacob's life
42  Rebekah disappoints him, by sending Jacob away

What do the individual words in Genesis 27:38 mean?

and said Esau to his father blessing one [is] it to you my father Bless also me my father And lifted up his voice and wept
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶל־ אָבִ֗יו הַֽבְרָכָ֨ה אַחַ֤ת הִֽוא־ לְךָ֙ ؟ אָבִ֔י בָּרֲכֵ֥נִי גַם־ אָ֖נִי אָבִ֑י וַיִּשָּׂ֥א קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עֵשָׂ֜ו  Esau 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשָׂו  
Sense: eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples.
אָבִ֗יו  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הַֽבְרָכָ֨ה  blessing 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרָכָה  
Sense: blessing.
אַחַ֤ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
הִֽוא־  [is]  it 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
לְךָ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
؟ אָבִ֔י  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בָּרֲכֵ֥נִי  Bless 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
גַם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אָ֖נִי  me 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אָבִ֑י  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א  And  lifted  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
קֹל֖וֹ  his  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וַיֵּֽבְךְּ  and  wept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.