Genesis 27:46 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?"

NIV: Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living."

NASB: And Rebekah said to Isaac, 'I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth like these from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?'

CSB: So Rebekah said to Isaac, "I’m sick of my life because of these Hethite girls. If Jacob marries someone from around here, like these Hethite girls, what good is my life?"

NLT: Then Rebekah said to Isaac, 'I’m sick and tired of these local Hittite women! I would rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.'

KJV: And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

NKJV: And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

In the previous verses, Rebekah has commanded Jacob to run from the murderous rage of his brother (Genesis 27:41) and to go stay with her brother Laban (Genesis 24:1–4, 23–28) until Esau's fury passes. We're not told anything of Jacob's response. Did he refuse to go or did Rebekah need for Isaac to send him to make it happen? We don't know. In either case, Rebekah seems to have included Isaac in her plan, which once again involves deception.

Rebekah does not tell Isaac her true fear that Esau would kill Jacob. Perhaps she doesn't think that would compel Isaac to act quickly enough. Perhaps she doesn't think Isaac would believe such a thing of his favorite son. Instead, Rebekah manipulates Isaac once again, this time by complaining about Esau's wives, the Hittite women who had made life bitter for both of them, according to Genesis 26:35. Now she says to Isaac colorfully that she hates her life because of those women. In fact, what good will her life even be if Jacob also marries one of the local women?

She does not come out and say directly that Isaac should send Jacob to her brother to find a wife. At least, we're not told that she does so. Still, in the following verses Isaac will send Jacob away for that very reason. Rebekah has accomplished her goal to get Jacob out of town. This, so far as Scripture is concerned, is the last time Rebekah will see Jacob (Genesis 27:43–44). His reunion with Isaac will happen many years later (Genesis 35:27), but no mention is made of his mother, who presumably has passed away, never again seeing her favorite son (Genesis 49:31).

Genesis 27:30–46 describes the aftermath of Jacob's deception of Isaac in order to receive the family blessing. Once Esau arrives and Isaac realizes he has given the blessing to the wrong son, his body begins to tremble in panic. Esau, deeply distraught, cries out in loud and bitter agony. Isaac gives to Esau a leftover blessing that reads like a curse. Esau pledges to kill Jacob once their father has died. Learning of this, Rebekah urges Jacob to run away to live with her brother in Mesopotamia.

Isaac's plan to pass the family blessing on to his favorite son, Esau, is thwarted by the deception of Isaac's wife Rebekah, and his other son Jacob. Old and blind, Isaac fails to recognize that the man claiming to be Esau is actually Jacob in a clever disguise. His prayer of blessing for wealth and rule over his brothers will remain valid though it is given under false pretense. Esau will be left with a blessing that sounds like a curse and a plan to murder his brother. Jacob will be forced to run for his life.

Prior chapters described the prosperity of Isaac, living in the Valley of Gerar. Genesis 27 leaps forward to near the end of Isaac's life. The time has come to pass on the family blessing. Isaac's intention to give that blessing to firstborn, Esau, is thwarted by the deception of Isaac's wife Rebekah and his other son Jacob. Isaac overcomes his suspicions that the man before him is not Esau and delivers the very blessing of God on Jacob. Esau is left with a near-curse and a murderous rage. Rebekah urges Jacob to go to her brother's household, a plan Isaac will endorse in the following chapter. There, he will ironically experience the sting of deception in his own life.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.