Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 27:5-13”
Categories: Genesis“Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring home, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, 'Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, “Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.” Now therefore, my son, listen to me as I command you. Go now to the flock and bring me two choice young goats from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves. Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.' Jacob answered his mother Rebekah, 'Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.' But his mother said to him, 'Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.'”
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“Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau.” (verse 5) This appears to be more than a mere happenstance overhearing of a private conversation, although it could have possibly been unintentional. But whether Rebekah had been eavesdropping as her mother had notoriously done (Genesis 18:10), or she was just in incidental earshot, it is what she did with the information that is significant.
“Bless you in the presence of the Lord...” (verse 8) Rebekah underscored the fact that this blessing was more than a mere embellishment of love upon a favorite son from a doting father. This was no less than a divine endowment of favor “in the presence of the Lord.” “Esau...cared for his father’s blessing, partly from natural affection, but chiefly because of the temporal benefits connected with it. To Jacob its value consisted in the covenant between Jehovah and the family of Abraham.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
“Now therefore, my son, listen to me as I command you.” (verse 8) Jacob is remembered as “the deceiver” but Rebekah was truly the “schemer” in this whole unfortunate affair. She seized control of the situation like a ferocious lioness jealously pouncing to protect her precious cub. She quickly and effortlessly formulated a strategy of deception to dupe her sightless husband and defraud her own flesh-and-blood. She snapped Jacob to attention and forestalled any resistance or hesitation on his part by demanding his completely compliance to her every command.
“Go now to the flock and bring me two choice young goats from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves.” (verse 9) The young goats would provide a dual purpose in her subterfuge. The meat of the two small animals would roughly produce the equivalent of a large animal caught in the wild. The coat of the goats, which were course and shaggy, would roughly reproduce the feel Esau's furry arms.
“Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a deceiver in his sight...” Jacob was more worried about getting caught than about doing a dastardly thing. Stealing his father's final blessing was not beneath him in the slightest, he just didn't want to “appear” to be a “deceiver” in his enfeebled father's “sight”. He also shuddered at the thought of suffering future catastrophic consequences if the whole thing went awry—“I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” Even no blessing at all was much more desirable than a curse!
“But his mother said to him, 'Your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.'” (verse 13) Mom was not about to take “No” for an answer from her weak-kneed whippersnapper in such a monumental moment as this with her whole world at stake! “Rebekah confidently brushes aside Jacob's fears because she remembers the oracle she received that the older son was destined to serve the younger.” (Nahum Sarna)
“Rebekah knew that the blessing was intended for Jacob, and expected he would have it. But she wronged Isaac by putting a cheat on him; she wronged Jacob by tempting him to wickedness. She put a stumbling-block in Esau's way, and gave him a pretext for hatred to Jacob and to religion. All were to be blamed. It was one of those crooked measures often adopted to further the Divine promises; as if the end would justify, or excuse wrong means. Thus many have acted wrong, under the idea of being useful in promoting the cause of Christ. The answer to all such things is that which God addressed to Abraham, I am God Almighty; walk before me and be thou perfect.” (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary)
Please read Genesis 27:14-19 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
