Esau said to his father: note that Good News Translation translates this in a style suitable for the context: “Esau continued to plead with his father.”

If the blessing given to Jacob cannot be withdrawn, Esau hopes there may yet be a blessing for him.

Have you but one blessing…? is literally “Is one blessing [only] to you?” We may also render this question, for example, “Is that the only blessing you have?” “Don’t you have a second blessing for me?”

Bless me, even me also, O my father: see verse 34. Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the Hebrew text here. Before Esau cries, the Septuagint adds “but Isaac remained silent,” and this is followed by a few translations. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates the Hebrew as {A}, and translators should follow the Hebrew text as in Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation. Even me also expresses Esau’s appeal to his father to give him a blessing. We may say, for example, “Give me a blessing too,” “Don’t withhold your blessing from me,” “I beg you, give me too your blessing.”

Esau lifted up his voice (and wept) is an idiom. It was used of Ishmael in 21.16. The meaning of the full expression is “he began to cry.” Bible en français courant translates well in this context: “He could not hold back his tears.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .