Genesis 27 · Verse 2

Genesis 27:2

And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
Genesis 27:2, King James Version

Genesis 27:2 in other translations

BSB“Look,” said Isaac, “I am now old, and I do not know the day of my death.
WEBHe said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death.
ASVAnd he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death.
YLTAnd he saith, ‘Lo, I pray thee, I have become aged, I have not known the day of my death;
DARBYAnd he said, Behold now, I am become old; I know not the day of my death.
BBEAnd he said, See now, I am old, and my death may take place at any time:
WebsterAnd he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

What does Genesis 27:2 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 I know not the day of my death - From his present weakness he had reason to suppose that his death could not be at any great distance, and therefore would leave no act undone which he believed it his duty to perform. He who lives not in reference to eternity, lives not at all.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 27:1-5

The promises of the Messiah, and of the land of Canaan, had come down to Isaac. Isaac being now about 135 years of age, and his sons about 75, and not duly considering the Divine word concerning his two sons, that the elder should serve the younger, resolved to put all the honour and power that were in the promise, upon Esau his eldest son. We are very apt to take measures rather from our own reason than from Divine…

Read the full comment on Genesis 27:1-5 →

Genesis 27:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הִנֵּה\־hi.neh-here!H2009
נָ֖אna'pleaseH4994
זָקַ֑נְתִּיza.Kan.tiI am oldH2204
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יָדַ֖עְתִּיya.Da'.tiI knowH3045
י֥וֹםYom[the] day ofH3117
מוֹתִֽי\׃mo.Tideath myH4194

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 27:2

  • James 4:14

    Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:10

    Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

  • Mark 13:35

    Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

  • Proverbs 27:1

    Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

  • Genesis 48:21

    And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

  • 1 Samuel 20:3

    And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

  • Isaiah 38:3

    And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

  • Genesis 47:29

    And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

  • Isaiah 38:1

    In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I know not.
48:21; 1Sa 20:3; Pr 27:1; Ec 9:10; Isa 38:1,3; Mr 13:35; Jas 4:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 27:1

    And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

  • Genesis 27:2

    And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

  • Genesis 27:3

    Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Read all of Genesis 27

Genesis 27:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y él dijo: He aquí ya soy viejo, no sé el día de mi muerte:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il dit: Tu vois que je suis vieux; je ne sais pas le jour de ma mort.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und er sprach: Siehe doch, ich bin alt geworden, ich weiß nicht den Tag meines Todes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Cui pater: Vides, inquit, quod senuerim, et ignorem diem mortis meæ.