John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 11:20

"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come." — Hebrews 11:20 (ASV)

By faith Isaac, etc. It was also the work of faith to bless concerning future things, for when the thing itself does not exist and the word only appears, faith must necessarily prevail. But first, we must consider the significance of the blessing of which he speaks. For to bless often means to pray for a blessing. However, the blessing of Isaac was very different; it was, so to speak, an introduction into the possession of the land, which God had promised to him and his descendants.

And yet he had nothing in that land but the right of burial. Therefore, these high titles seemed strange: “Let people serve thee, and tribes bow down to thee” (Genesis 27:29). For what dominion could he have given, who himself was hardly a free man? We therefore see that this blessing depended on faith, for Isaac had nothing which he could have bestowed on his children but the word of God.

It may, however, be doubted whether there was any faith in the blessing given to Esau, as he was a reprobate and rejected by God. The answer is easy, for faith mainly shone forth when he distinguished between the two twins born to him, so that he gave the first place to the younger. For, following the oracle of God, he took away from the firstborn the ordinary right of nature. And on this depended the condition of the whole nation: that Jacob was chosen by God, and that this choice was sanctioned by the father’s blessing.