Midrash sa Isaias 38:18: Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Aggadat Bereshit

(Gen. 49:1:) THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS. Should it not rather have said: "So Esau called his sons"?²⁹Gen. R. 96, “New Version,” at the beginning on Gen. 49:1 (= pp. 1199–1200 in the Theodor-Albeck edition). Why? Because he was older. The Scripture says (in Is. 38:18): FOR SHEOL SHALL NOT GIVE YOU THANKS; DEATH SHALL NOT PRAISE YOU. Who gives thanks? One who lives and bows down to the living God. It is so stated (in vs. 19): THE LIVING, < ONLY > THE LIVING SHALL GIVE YOU THANKS, EVEN AS I DO TODAY….³⁰Thus wicked people like Esau cannot praise God because they are regarded as dead even in this life while the righteous live even in death. So Ber. 18ab. And so Esau the Wicked did not die upon his bed and made no diatheke³¹The word is Greek. (i.e., will). Then who did make a diatheke? Jacob, as stated (in Gen. 49, which begins): THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS.

Chapter (81) 82: Torah [1] "And Jacob called unto his sons" (Genesis 49:1). The scriptures say: "For Sheol will not praise you (Isaiah 38:18), it was not for you to say 'let Esau be called to his sons,' as he was the firstborn, and why did he not perform the duty of honoring (i.e. burying) his father Isaac, but rather Jacob did it? It is because in the custom of the world, a murderer does not perform the duty of honoring, for he does not know when he will die, and who performs the duty of honoring for the fathers who died in their beds. Thus, Esau was not allowed to perform the duty of honoring, as he was a murderer, as it is said 'Now, therefore, let me get some game and make me savory food, that you may eat, and bless me' (Genesis 27:31), and 'For my soul is weary of murderers' (Jeremiah 4:31), and tired only means killing, as it is said 'Woe is me! For my soul is weary of murderers' (Jeremiah 4:31). Therefore, he did not call his sons, as it is said 'They do not know nor do they understand; they walk in darkness' (Psalms 82:5). Therefore, 'For Sheol will not praise you' (Isaiah 38:18), but a father will inform his sons, and he will call Jacob."