Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Ye know (iste). Regular form for the second person of oida rather than the Koin‚ oidate.
He was rejected (apedokimasqh). First aorist passive indicative of apodokimazw, old verb to disapprove (Matthew 21:42).
Place of repentance (metanoiav topon). Metanoia is change of mind and purpose, not sorrow though he had tears (meta dakruwn) afterwards as told in Genesis 27:38. He sought it (authn, the blessing eulogian) with tears, but in vain. There was no change of mind in Isaac. The choice was irrevocable as Isaac shows (Genesis 27:33). Esau is a tragic example of one who does a wilful sin which allows no second chance (Hebrews 6:6; Hebrews 10:26). The author presses the case of Esau as a warning to the Christians who were tempted to give up Christ.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Hebrews 12:17:
Hebrews 1:14
Hebrews 5:8
James 1:19
1 Peter 3:9
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