תהלים, פרק ק״ה, פסוק י׳

The divine promise of inheriting the land reaches its final, exclusive destination with Jacob, cementing an eternal bond between God and His people. The oath originally given to Abraham and passed down to Isaac is firmly established as a permanent reality [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that this establishment represents a deliberate process of selection. Isaac secures the promise exclusively for Jacob and his descendants, intentionally excluding Esau from the inheritance [רד״ק, אלשיך, מאירי]. This covenant is decreed as an absolute and permanent law [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. According to the natural order and standard laws of inheritance, Esau should have shared the land with his brother. Therefore, a special, supernatural decree was necessary to transfer the inheritance entirely to Jacob [אלשיך].

Commentators offer different perspectives on the dual use of the patriarch's names, Jacob and Israel, in relation to this eternal bond. One view suggests this is simply poetic repetition, as Israel is Jacob's other name and the title of the nation born from him [מצודת דוד, מאירי, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective finds a deep distinction between the two names, viewing them as different spiritual levels. The name Jacob reflects a basic state where the people may not be perfect in their actions, yet the promise is still preserved for them as a strict law [אלשיך, מלבי״ם]. Conversely, the name Israel represents a supreme spiritual state where the people rise above the natural order and actively fulfill God's will [אלשיך, מלבי״ם].

At this elevated level, the promise is upgraded into an everlasting covenant forged by God Himself. This bond is so foundational that the very order of the world depends upon it [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, the eternal nature of this covenant guarantees that the Israelites' right to the land will never expire. Even if their sins lead to exile, their claim to the land remains intact, ensuring they are destined to return [מאירי].