Hebrews 11:20 (GNV)

Passage

By faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau, concerning things to come.

Nearby Context

Hebrews 11:18 (To whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seede be called.)

Hebrews 11:19 For he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead: from whence he receiued him also after a sort.

Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau, concerning things to come.

Hebrews 11:21 By faith Iacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph, and leaning on the ende of his staffe, worshipped God.

Hebrews 11:22 By faith Ioseph when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and gaue commandement of his bones.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "isaac", "blessed", "iacob", "esau", "concerning", "things", and "come". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "isaac", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "For he considered that God was able..." into verse 21's "By faith Iacob when he was a...", so "faith" and "isaac" belong inside that flow. In Hebrews context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "faith" and "isaac" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.