The blessing on Esau is limited because of the far-reaching blessing already given to Jacob, and is largely determined by it. In verse 28 Isaak had blessed Jacob by “May God give you from dew of heaven and from the fatness of the earth”; compare comments ad loc. The prepositional phrases recur here (though with ἄνωθεν after “heaven”), but in reverse order. In verse 28 the preposition ἀπό was partitive, but here it is privative; thus “behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be (that is, distant from Canaan), and away from the dew of heaven above (that is, in a desert area).”

Although not the blessing he wanted to give to Esau, Isaac does have an additional blessing. Unfortunately, it is the opposite of what he bestowed on Jacob. Esau will live away from the fatness of the land and from the dew of heaven. Rather than making his living by agriculture, Esau will live by the sword. His bellicose demeanor, however, will help him overcome his servitude to his brother. As is the Masoretic Text, the Greek translation is also confusing. To what Esau’s “overcoming” (ἐκλύσης) refers is unclear.