Genesis 27:29 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Let people serve thee, &c.— However alike their temporal advantages were to be, the younger brother was to have the superiority in all spiritual gifts, was to be the happy instrument of conveying the blessing to all nations: In thee and in thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed: and to this are to be referred in their full force those expressions, let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. The same promise was made to Abraham by the Lord, I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee, ch. Genesis 12:3. and it is here repeated to Jacob, and is thus paraphrased in the Jerusalem Targum, "He who curseth thee shall be cursed, as Balaam the son of Beor; and he who blesseth thee shall be blessed, as Moses the prophet, the lawgiver of Israel." It appears that Jacob was a man of much more religion, and believed the divine promises more than Esau. The posterity of Jacob likewise preserved the true religion, and the worship of the one true God, while the Edomites were sunk in idolatry. And of the seed of Jacob was born at last the Saviour of the world. This was the peculiar privilege and advantage of Jacob, to be the happy instrument of conveying these spiritual blessings to all nations. This was his greatest superiority over Esau; and in this sense St. Paul understands and applies the prophecy, the elder shall serve the younger, Romans 9:12. The Christ, the Saviour of the world, was to be born of some one family: and Jacob's was preferred to Esau's out of the good pleasure of Almighty God, who is certainly the best Judge of fitness and expedience, and hath undoubted right to dispense his favours as he shall see proper; for he saith to Moses, (as the apostle proceeds to argue, Romans 9:15.) I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. And when the Gentiles were converted to Christianity, the prophecy was fulfilled literally, Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; and will more amply be fulfilled, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved.