Bible Strands
Genesis 27:1
When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Isaac, whose vision has failed due to age, summons his older son Esau at a moment when he recognizes his approaching mortality.
The words — The Hebrew זָקֵן (za.Ken) denotes advanced age, while וַ/תִּכְהֶ֥יןָ (va./tikh.Hei.na) and מֵ/רְאֹ֑ת (me./re.'Ot) describe his eyes growing too dim for sight. וַ/יִּקְרָ֞א (va/i.yik.Ra') records his direct summons to Esau.
The thread — Similar descriptions of age-related vision loss appear in Genesis 48:10 with Jacob and 1 Samuel 3:2 with Eli.
Why it lands — The text states Isaac's physical decline before he initiates a pivotal family transaction, requiring the reader to note how frailty precedes decisive action.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.
Cross-references
- Genesis 48:10 Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
- 1 Samuel 3:2 And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.
- Genesis 25:23 and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
- Ecclesiastes 12:3 on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
- John 9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him.