John Calvin Commentary Genesis 27:36

John Calvin Commentary

Genesis 27:36

1509–1564
Protestant
John Calvin
John Calvin

John Calvin Commentary

Genesis 27:36

1509–1564
Protestant
SCRIPTURE

"And he said, Is not he rightly name Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two time. He took away my birthright. And, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?" — Genesis 27:36 (ASV)

Is he not rightly named Jacob? That Esau felt no repentance is clear from the fact that he accused his brother and took no blame upon himself. But the very beginning of repentance is grief over sin, together with self-condemnation. Esau should have looked within himself and become his own judge. Having sold his birthright, he had darted, like a famished dog, for the meat and the stew; and now, as if he had done no wrong, he vents all his anger on his brother. Furthermore, if the blessing is considered to be of any value, why does he not consider that he had been prevented from it, not simply by human fraud, but by the providence of God? We see, therefore, that like a blind man groping in the dark, he cannot find his way.