May he give the blessing of Abraham to you: he refers to God as expressed in Gen 28.3. The blessing of Abraham refers to the blessing Abraham received from God, as seen, for example, in 17.8, which speaks of the granting of the land to Abraham. Your descendants translates “your seed.” Isaac’s prayer is that God “bless Jacob and his descendants the same as he blessed Abraham.” We may also say, for example, “I ask God to give you and your descendants what he promised to Abraham.”

That you may take possession of the land of your sojournings: in these words the blessing of Abraham is made concrete. Take possession translates a verb meaning to possess through inheritance, but in this context it means to take by force, and so Speiser says “that you may take over.” Land of your sojournings: see 12.10 and 17.8 for discussion.

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 .