Genesis 27:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He instructs you to share with the one who provides sustenance, to the individual whom I have nourished.

The following statements are applicable not only to Christ but also to the new covenant people: “God shall give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fat of the earth, and plenty of bread and wine.” The dew of heaven and the fat of the earth symbolize that the Word from God the Father has been bestowed upon us in fellowship through the Spirit, rendering us partakers of the Divine nature. We have been granted abundant bread and wine, representing strength and joy, which is affirmed by the verse, “Bread that strengthens the heart of man, and wine that cheers the heart of man” (Psalm 103:15). Thus, bread represents mental and spiritual fortitude, while wine signifies joy. Both are given to all who are in Christ through Him.

If anyone believes that this blessing was realized in Jacob’s life, they are mistaken, as none of these events actually transpired for him. Initially, he was in Mesopotamia, serving Laban for two decades; then he humbled himself before his brother Esau, seeking to appease him with gifts. Following that, he journeyed to Egypt to avoid starvation with his children. The phrase, “God shall give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fat of the earth, a multitude of bread and wine,” clearly alludes to the Word that descended from heaven like dew, and the earth signifies the flesh He received from the Virgin. In mentioning “a multitude of bread and wine,” he refers to the saints, who are collected like bread into the barn and validated through the Holy Spirit, akin to wine.

Some among the elect are elevated to a state of contemplation, while others are solely nourished by the fruits of their active labor. Therefore, it is fitting to say: God may grant you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth. The dew descends gently from above, and we are nourished by it to the extent that our inner contemplation allows us to perceive subtle aspects of the heavenly realm. Additionally, through our righteous actions in the flesh, we are blessed by the abundance of the earth.

From the dew of heaven. In arid regions, where rainfall is infrequent, this lack is offset by the plentiful dew that falls in the morning and evening. This is why both blessings and curses utilize dew to signify the impact of atmospheric changes on the abundance or scarcity of the earth's produce (Deut. 33:13, 28; Hag. 1:10, 11). And from the richness of the earth. Considering that the fertility of the land is influenced by both atmospheric conditions and the characteristics of the soil, Isaac combines the blessings of heavenly dew with those of the earth's abundance, indicating his desire for his descendants to inhabit a land that is inherently fruitful.

May the Lord grant you the refreshing dew from heaven and the richness of wine, signifying His blessing of a land nourished by dew and enriched by fertile soil. This blessing conveys the promise of plentiful harvests of bread and grapes. The patriarch mentions dew instead of rain because, in arid regions, rain is infrequent; in Palestine, rainfall occurs merely twice each year—early rains in September for planting and late rains in April to usher in the ripening of the harvest. The land, during the cooler nights, collects dew that forms from the condensation of vapors.