Hebrews 11:20 says that Isaac, by faith, gave a blessing to his two sons, Jacob and Esau, and that his blessing reached forward to things that had not yet happened. The verse shows that faith in God can shape what we pass on to the next generation, even when the full result lies far in the future. The author of Hebrews wrote this letter to early Christians, and he points back to Isaac as one of the examples of faith he holds up for them.
By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
Hebrews 11:20 (WEB)
What Hebrews 11:20 Means
The phrase “by faith” frames the whole verse. The writer is not describing Isaac’s personality or his skill as a father. He is saying that Isaac’s act of blessing rested on trust in God’s word and God’s purposes. A blessing, in the Old Testament world, was more than good wishes. It was a spoken word that carried weight and pointed toward a future that a father could not fully control.
The phrase “even concerning things to come” tells us that Isaac’s blessing looked past his own lifetime. He spoke about outcomes that he would not see, trusting that God was already at work in the lives of his sons and in the promises made to their family. The verse does not spell out every detail of what Isaac said, and it does not promise that every human blessing will turn out exactly as hoped. What it does show is a pattern: faith often leads a person to speak hope over what is still unseen.
The Context of Hebrews 11:20
Hebrews is a letter written to Christians facing pressure and discouragement, and it is traditionally attributed to Paul, though many scholars today regard the author as unknown. Chapter 11 is a long list of faithful people from the Hebrew Scriptures, and it gives the readers a picture of what steady trust in God looks like across generations. The chapter repeats the phrase “by faith” again and again, as if to say that faith is the thread that runs through every story.
The verses just before this one describe Abraham offering Isaac, trusting that God could raise the dead, and the verses just after describe Jacob blessing Joseph’s sons and Joseph speaking about the exodus. Read in that setting, Isaac’s blessing becomes one link in a chain of faithful acts, each reaching toward God’s promises. The verse is less about a single moment in Isaac’s life and more about how faith carries forward through a family over time.
Key Phrases in Hebrews 11:20
Genesis 27:27-29
27 He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD has blessed. 28 God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
(WEB)
This passage records the actual blessing Isaac gave to Jacob, showing the words behind the faith that Hebrews 11:20 praises. Reading it alongside the verse helps you see what a blessing looked like in practice and how Isaac spoke about the future.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
(WEB)
This verse opens the chapter by defining faith as confidence in what is hoped for and assurance about what is not seen. It gives the general principle that Hebrews 11:20 illustrates through Isaac’s specific act of blessing.
A Short Prayer From Hebrews 11:20
Father, thank you for the faithful people who came before us and showed us what trust looks like across the years. Help me to speak words of hope over the people I love, even when I cannot see how things will turn out. Teach me to bless with faith, leaving the future in your hands, and to trust that you are already at work in lives I may never fully understand. Give me patience for what is still to come and the courage to keep believing you for it. Amen.
