Hebrews 11:20 says that Isaac blessed his sons, Jacob and Esau, by faith, and that his blessings reached forward to things still in the future. In plain terms, the verse shows a father trusting God with the future of his children, speaking words of blessing that looked ahead to what God had yet to do. The verse is written by the unknown author of Hebrews, who is recalling the story of Isaac from Genesis 27 to encourage Christians to keep trusting God’s promises.
By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
Hebrews 11:20 (WEB)
What Hebrews 11:20 Means
The verse begins with “By faith,” which tells you the whole act is rooted in trust rather than in what Isaac could see at the time. He was old, his eyesight was failing, and the outcome of his blessing was far from settled. Yet he spoke as though God’s purposes would hold, and he placed his words in God’s hands.
“Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau” describes a real, spoken act within a family. In the ancient world a father’s blessing carried weight, because it was understood to shape the future of the one blessed. The author does not dwell on the family conflict that surrounds the story in Genesis. Instead, the focus falls on the faith behind the words.
The phrase “even concerning things to come” means the blessings extended past the moment of speaking into years Isaac would never see. The verse does not spell out what those future events would be, and it does not promise that every human plan within the family would turn out well. It points to a faith that entrusts the unseen future to a faithful God.
The Context of Hebrews 11:20
Hebrews is a letter to Jewish Christians who were tempted to grow weary and drift from their confession of Christ. Its author is unnamed, though early church tradition connected it with Paul in various ways, and most modern readers do not treat that link as settled. The letter urges its readers to hold fast to God’s promises by looking at the example of faithful people from Israel’s history.
Hebrews 11 is that gallery of examples. Just before verse 20, the chapter describes Abraham offering up Isaac, and Abraham’s trust that God could raise the dead. Just after, it speaks of Jacob and Joseph, who likewise looked forward in faith. Read in that line, Isaac’s blessing is one link in a chain of ancient believers who died still trusting God, which is why the author sees him as an example to imitate.
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 is the blessing Isaac actually spoke over Jacob in Genesis, the passage that Hebrews 11:20 recalls. Reading the words in their original setting helps you see what the author had in mind and why the blessing carried such weight for the family.
Hebrews 11:19
Concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.
(WEB)
This verse, the one just before Isaac’s blessing in the chapter, shows Abraham trusting God even in the face of death. It sets the pattern of faith that the author then traces through Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
A Short Prayer From Hebrews 11:20
Father, you are the God who keeps your promises across generations, and you are faithful even when we cannot see the outcome. Teach us to speak words of blessing over the people you have given us, trusting you with what lies ahead. Where our families are strained or our hopes feel unfinished, help us to hold them open before you. Give us the quiet confidence of Isaac, who entrusted the future to your care. Amen.
