So he came near and kissed him: So expresses the result of Isaac’s order in verse 26. He came is Jacob, and him is Isaac.

And he smelled the smell of his garments: he smelled is the action of Isaac. What he smelled was Esau’s body smell on Esau’s clothing. Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew form rather closely and is somewhat awkward for English. The smell of his garments does not suggest an unpleasant odor, as is clear from the first line of the blessing poem. The text suggests that Isaac recognized by their smell that the clothes were Esau’s. If this connection is not clear, it may be necessary to say, for example, “Isaac smelled the garments and knew they were Esau’s.” Speiser says “Isaac sniffed the smell of his clothes.”

And blessed him: this introduces the words of the blessing that follow. Note Good News Translation makes clear that Jacob’s deceit has now passed the final test “—so he gave him his blessing.” Speiser says “Then, at last, he blessed him.” In one translation this is made even clearer by saying “So Isaac was satisfied and he gave….”

Isaac’s blessing is given in poetic form. For languages that are accustomed to do so, verses 27b-29 should be indented to make more visible the form of the blessing. A repeated meter runs through this short poem. Each pair of lines has matching elements, and the poem is arranged by topics in four parts: transition (27b), blessing of fertility (28), power over nations and kinsmen (29a-b), and retribution (29c).

See, the smell of my son: See is not necessarily a command to look or see, but an exclamation or confirmation of what Isaac has been tricked into discovering. Speiser translates “Ah, my son’s smell,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “Yes, this is the smell of my son,” Bible en français courant “Truly, the smell of my son.”

The pleasant smell of Esau’s clothes is now compared with the pleasant smell of a field which the LORD has blessed! Field has been used in verses 3 and 5 with the meaning of the open country where Esau hunts. Now, however, the sense is probably that of a cultivated or agricultural field, since verse 28 shows it to be watered and productive of grain and wine. Some of the ancient versions have translated field as “lush field” here. Blessed is used here as the blessing of fertility and productivity and recalls the earlier uses of the LORD’s blessing of the earth and sea in 1.22, 28. See there for translation suggestions.

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 .