Hebrews 11:20 says that Isaac blessed his sons Jacob and Esau by faith, and that his blessings reached forward to events he would not live to see. The verse is part of the faith chapter of Hebrews, where the author shows that trust in God has always looked beyond what is visible right now. The writer of Hebrews is the speaker in the wider passage, and the words describe the old patriarch Isaac giving blessings to his two sons.
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” tells you the reason behind Isaac’s action. He did not bless his sons only because it was a family custom or because he felt sentimental. He acted in trust that God was guiding the future and that his words would matter within God’s plan. Faith here is confidence in what God has promised, even when the promised outcome lies years away.
“Even concerning things to come” points to the reach of his blessings. Isaac spoke about what would happen to his sons and their descendants long after he died. The verse does not spell out every detail of those future events, and it does not promise that any particular person will always live up to a blessing. What it does show is a man who looked ahead and entrusted the next generation to God.
The Context of Hebrews 11:20
Hebrews was written to Jewish believers who were under pressure and at risk of drifting from their confidence in Christ. The author gathers examples of faithful people from Israel’s history to encourage them to keep trusting God when the outcome is still unclear. The chapter moves from Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac, to Isaac’s blessing of his sons, to Jacob and Joseph, and finally to Moses. Each example shows faith expressed in a specific act tied to a promise.
Placed in that sequence, Isaac’s blessing is more than a family moment. It is one link in a chain of God’s promises passing from one generation to the next. Read this way, the verse invites you to see your own faithfulness as part of a longer story that God is directing, not a series of isolated choices.
Key Phrases in Hebrews 11:20
Genesis 28:3-4
3 May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, 4 and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your offspring with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which God gave to Abraham.”
(WEB)
Isaac’s blessing of Jacob in this passage shows the same trust in God’s promises that Hebrews 11:20 highlights. Reading the original blessing alongside the New Testament reflection helps you see how the writer of Hebrews understood Isaac’s faith as rooted in what God had already said to Abraham.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
(WEB)
This verse opens the faith chapter with a definition of faith as confidence in what is hoped for. It frames everything that follows, including Isaac’s blessing, as an example of trust that looks beyond present evidence toward God’s promised future.
A Short Prayer From Hebrews 11:20
Lord, you are the God who keeps your promises across generations. Teach me to act in faith when I cannot see how things will turn out. Help me speak words of blessing over the people you have placed in my life, trusting that you will use them in ways I may never see. When I feel uncertain about the future, remind me that my small acts of faith belong to your larger story. Give me patience to wait on you and courage to keep trusting. Amen.
