It is now Esau’s turn to express his anguish: he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry. Esau’s cry is one of shock and pain. Speiser translates “On hearing his father’s words, Esau burst into sobbing of the most violent and bitter kind.” Bible en français courant says “When … his heart overflowed with bitterness and he began to cry loudly.” A bitter cry is one that expresses deep sorrow and anguish.

In an effort to salvage something for himself, Esau begs his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. These words are uttered by Esau while he is crying. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “ ‘Father,’ he shouted, ‘bless me also.’ ” The repetition of me (literally “bless me, also me”) emphasizes Esau’s need and desire for a blessing. We may translate as does Bible en français courant, “Give me also a blessing, father!” In some languages it may be more natural to say, for example, “O my father, speak your words of blessing over me also.”

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 .