Genesis 27:29

May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Isaac speaks these words directly to Jacob, who has just received them. The declaration concludes the blessing scene and occurs before Esau returns from his hunt (Genesis 27:28-30).

The words — The Hebrew גְבִיר (gevir) translates to "master" or "lord," and יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ (yish'tachu) means "may they bow down." These terms explicitly frame the relationship as one of commanded submission and elevated authority.

The thread — The reciprocal formula of blessing and cursing, alongside the motif of nations bowing, recurs in Genesis 12:3, Numbers 24:9, and Isaiah 49:23.

Why it lands — The text declares that Jacob will hold authority over his brothers and that external nations will submit to him. It establishes a direct correlation between how the world treats Jacob and the corresponding divine response.

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

יַֽעַבְד֣וּךָya.'av.Du./khamay they serve/ you עַמִּ֗ים'a.Mimpeoples וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֤וּve./yish.ta.chuand/ may they bow downלְךָ֙le./Khato <the>/ youלְאֻמִּ֔יםle.'u.Mimpeoples הֱוֵ֤הhe.Vehbe גְבִיר֙ge.Virlord לְאַחֶ֔יךָle./'a.Chei./khato/ brothers/ your וְיִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּve./yish.ta.cha.Vuso/ may they bow downלְךָ֖le./Khato <the>/ youבְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] sons of אִמֶּ֑ךָ'i.Me./khamother/ your אֹרְרֶ֣יךָ'o.re.Rei./kha[those who] curse/ you אָר֔וּר'a.Rur[be] cursed וּֽמְבָרֲכֶ֖יךָu./me.va.ra.Khei./khaand/ [those who] bless/ you בָּרֽוּךְ׃ba.Rukh[be] blessed

King James Version

Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

Cross-references

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
Numbers 24:9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
Isaiah 49:23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”
Genesis 9:25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Romans 9:12 not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
Genesis 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
Numbers 22:11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”
Numbers 23:8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?
1 Kings 22:47 And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
Psalms 72:8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.