Gen 27.39 / Deut 33.16 -- Jewish and Christian difference

George Somsel

In both Gen 27.39 and Deut 33.16 we have a similar expression

 Genesis 27:39 

³⁹וַיַּעַן יִצְחָק אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הִנֵּה מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה מוֹשָׁבֶךָ וּמִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם מֵעָל׃

 

Deuteronomy 33:16 

¹⁶וּמִמֶּגֶד אֶרֶץ וּמְלֹאָהּ וּרְצוֹן שֹׁכְנִי סְנֶה תָּבוֹאתָה לְרֹאשׁ יוֹסֵף וּלְקָדְקֹד נְזִיר אֶחָיו׃ 

In translations by Christians the Gen passage has been read as a local ("away from") while in Jewish translations it is read as material ("consisting of").  It is interesting that in the LXX it is reproduced fairly literally as ἀπό τῆς πιότητος τῆς γῆς which can have the same ambiguity as the Hebrew מִן.  It would appear that we have some theologically motivated translation involved here.  The Christian interpretation seems to indicate that the "blessing" that was left for Esau was, in effect, a curse while in the Jewish interpretation it was indeed a blessing. 

Both are technically literal translations.  And who said that literal translations are unbiased?

Jerry M

The writer of Hebrews agrees with you.  Hebrews 11:20