Genesis Chapter 27
Jacob Deceptively Gains the Blessing of Isaac
A. Rebekah and Jacob plot to deceive Isaac
1. (Genesis 27:1–4) Isaac’s deathbed request to Esau.
**“Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, ‘My son.’ And he answered him, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.’” (Genesis 27:1–4, NKJV)
Isaac, now advanced in years and nearly blind, believed his death to be near. Though his physical condition was declining, the text later reveals that he would live many more years. He desired to pass the patriarchal blessing to his firstborn son, Esau, as a form of his last will and testament. This was a sacred family act, yet Isaac’s heart was clouded by carnal preference and appetite.
a. “When Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see”: Isaac’s failing eyesight serves as both a literal and symbolic detail. His physical blindness mirrors a degree of spiritual blindness, as he sought to bless Esau contrary to God’s revealed will. Although he believed his death was near, he lived another forty-three years, dying at one hundred eighty years old (Genesis 35:28).
b. “Make me savory food, such as I love”: Isaac’s affection for Esau was intertwined with his taste for wild game and admiration for Esau’s prowess as a hunter. It appears Isaac associated Esau’s strength and masculinity with worthiness to receive the blessing. Yet this reflected Isaac’s misplaced values, as he focused on temporal pleasures rather than spiritual discernment. The blessing was not to be bestowed based on personal favoritism or appetite but according to divine election.
c. “That my soul may bless you before I die”: Isaac’s intent was deliberate and secretive. Despite knowing that God had chosen Jacob (Genesis 25:23) and that Esau had despised his birthright (Genesis 25:34), Isaac still determined to pass the blessing to Esau. This decision reflects his defiance of God’s word. He was ruled by sentiment and appetite instead of spiritual obedience. His attempt to act privately also shows he was aware his plan opposed the divine purpose. In this household, distrust had replaced harmony—Isaac schemed in secret, Rebekah listened covertly, and Jacob would soon deceive.
2. (Genesis 27:5–10) Rebekah advises Jacob to deceive his father Isaac.
**“Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it. So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, ‘Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, “Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.” Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.’” (Genesis 27:5–10, NKJV)
As soon as Rebekah heard Isaac’s intention to bless Esau, she devised a counter-plan to secure the blessing for Jacob. Though she knew God had declared that the older would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23), rather than trusting the Lord to bring His promise to pass, she chose manipulation and deceit. Her actions reveal a lack of faith in God’s providence, a recurring human pattern of trying to help God fulfill His own word.
a. “Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau”: The text suggests that Rebekah overheard the conversation, possibly unintentionally at first. However, her immediate response indicates a heart ready to interfere. The household environment had become fractured, divided by favoritism. Isaac loved Esau for his food and vigor, while Rebekah loved Jacob for his quiet nature and perceived divine favor.
b. “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you”: Rebekah’s command to Jacob displays both authority and presumption. Instead of appealing to faith, she directed her son to deception. In this moment, she acted not as a woman of faith but as a strategist seeking to outwit her husband. Her plan, though successful in the short term, would sow bitterness and division for decades. The lesson is clear: when believers attempt to accomplish God’s work through deceitful or fleshly means, the outcome always carries painful consequences.
Spurgeon once warned, “Good men have gone very wrong when they have thought of aiding in the fulfillment of promises and prophecies. See how Rebekah erred in trying to get the promised blessing for Jacob. We had better leave the Lord’s decrees in the Lord’s hands.” This principle is timeless—faith waits, while unbelief manipulates.
c. “I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves”: Rebekah’s familiarity with Isaac’s preferences reveals both her shrewdness and the depth of the household’s dysfunction. She knew how to replicate Esau’s cooking and exploit Isaac’s sensory weakness. Her skill was used not in faithful service but in deceit, highlighting how easily human abilities can be misapplied when detached from godly integrity.
Jacob Deceptively Gains the Blessing of Isaac
A. Preparations are made for Jacob’s deceptive attempt to steal the blessing
3. (Genesis 27:11–17)
**“And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.’ But his mother said to him, ‘Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.’ And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.” (Genesis 27:11–17, NKJV)
Jacob, though uneasy, cooperated in his mother’s plan to deceive Isaac. His concern was not about the morality of lying, but about the risk of being discovered. His fear was not of sinning against God, but of receiving a curse rather than a blessing. Rebekah, driven by her desire to fulfill the divine promise through human means, was ready to assume all consequences.
a. “Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him”: Jacob’s apprehension reveals a purely pragmatic concern. He feared the consequences of failure, not the sin itself. His focus was on appearance, not righteousness. True to his name, Jacob—meaning “supplanter” or “heel-catcher”—he was inclined toward cunning and manipulation.
i. When one abandons the question of right and wrong and instead asks only “Will this work?”, he has fallen into moral pragmatism. This philosophy dominates much of the modern world and even infiltrates the church. When success is measured by outcomes rather than obedience, deception finds justification under the guise of purpose.
b. “He went and got them and brought them to his mother”: Jacob’s compliance shows that once his fear of failure was overcome, his moral restraint vanished. Though Rebekah was the instigator, Jacob was a willing accomplice. Rebekah’s manipulation extended not only to Isaac but also to her own son, teaching him deceit as a legitimate means to obtain blessing.
c. “His father… Rebekah… Esau… Jacob”: Each participant in this drama acted independently of divine guidance. Isaac relied on appetite, Rebekah on manipulation, Jacob on deceit, and Esau on self-interest. None of them demonstrated faith in the promises of God.
i. All four characters—Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau—lived by human reasoning rather than spiritual discernment. Their household was full of mistrust, deception, and self-will. Spurgeon rightly noted, “The whole story reflects no credit upon any of the persons concerned.”
ii. The tragedy is that they treated the blessing as a mystical or magical transaction, divorced from God’s authority. In truth, the patriarchal blessing was not a charm but an acknowledgment of God’s sovereign choice. Isaac could speak words, but only God could make them effectual. If heaven did not honor the blessing, Isaac’s pronouncement meant nothing.
B. Jacob receives the blessing that Isaac intended for Esau
1. (Genesis 27:18–27a)
**“So he went to his father and said, ‘My father.’ And he said, ‘Here I am. Who are you, my son?’ Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.’ But Isaac said to his son, ‘How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?’ And he said, ‘Because the LORD your God brought it to me.’ Then Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.’ So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.’ And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. Then he said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ He said, ‘I am.’ He said, ‘Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.’ So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, ‘Come near now and kiss me, my son.’ And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing.” (Genesis 27:18–27a, NKJV)
Jacob approached his father and directly lied, presenting himself as Esau. His deception involved both words and actions, culminating in outright blasphemy when he invoked God’s name to legitimize his deceit. Isaac, blind in both sight and discernment, allowed his senses to mislead him, confirming the blessing to Jacob under false pretenses.
a. “I am Esau your firstborn”: Jacob’s first words to his father were a direct lie. While some ethical questions involve complexity and motive, this was not one of them. Jacob’s statement was deliberate falsehood, spoken for personal gain. Scripture repeatedly condemns lying lips, declaring, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” (Proverbs 12:22, NKJV).
b. “Because the LORD your God brought it to me”: Jacob compounded his deceit by invoking the name of the LORD as justification for his lie. This was blasphemous. He attributed his success in deception to divine providence. This misuse of God’s name reflects the danger of self-deception—believing that one’s sinful methods are sanctified because they aim at a “good” outcome.
i. Jacob may have reasoned that since God had promised him the blessing, any method to secure it was justified. This rationalization mirrors the flawed belief that “the end justifies the means.” Yet God’s promises are never achieved through sin; His purposes do not require human deceit.
ii. Many still fall into this trap today, excusing dishonesty or manipulation by appealing to supposed divine goals. But God does not need the help of our deceit. His will is fulfilled by obedience, not scheming.
c. “Are you really my son Esau?” Even after repeated questioning, Jacob persisted in lying. Isaac’s hesitation shows that his conscience was troubled. He recognized Jacob’s voice but allowed the tactile evidence of the goat skins and the smell of Esau’s clothing to overrule his discernment. Isaac trusted his feelings over truth—a mistake that continues to plague humanity.
i. Jacob took advantage of his father’s innocence and trust, violating the command to honor one’s parents. This deception would have lasting consequences, leading to years of separation, family conflict, and divine discipline.
Jacob Deceptively Gains the Blessing of Isaac
B. The Blessing is Given to Jacob
2. (Genesis 27:27b–29)
“And blessed him and said:
‘Surely, the smell of my son
Is like the smell of a field
Which the LORD has blessed.
Therefore may God give you
Of the dew of heaven,
Of the fatness of the earth,
And plenty of grain and wine.
Let peoples serve you,
And nations bow down to you.
Be master over your brethren,
And let your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
And blessed be those who bless you!’” (Genesis 27:27b–29, NKJV)
Isaac, deceived by Jacob’s disguise, unknowingly bestowed the patriarchal blessing upon him. Yet though the act was deceitful, the result fulfilled God’s sovereign plan. The words Isaac spoke were prophetic, and though intended for Esau, they perfectly aligned with God’s promise to Jacob in Genesis 25:23.
a. “And blessed him”: Isaac’s blessing was not merely a father’s wish but a formal transmission of covenantal authority. As the spiritual head of the family, Isaac held the right to confer the Abrahamic blessing. This authority did not stem from personal merit but from divine appointment. The promise God made to Abraham — of land, descendants, and blessing — was now being passed to the next chosen heir. Isaac may have meant these words for Esau, but God ensured they fell upon the one He had chosen before birth, Jacob.
b. “May God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth”: The blessing invokes images of prosperity, fruitfulness, and divine favor. “The dew of heaven” speaks of divine refreshment and constant provision in a dry land. “The fatness of the earth” represents abundance and fertility. The expressions echo God’s covenant with Abraham: “I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2, NKJV). The mention of “plenty of grain and wine” further signifies covenant blessings, emphasizing both material sufficiency and spiritual joy under God’s hand.
c. “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you”: This line carries a prophetic tone extending beyond Jacob himself to the nation of Israel. It prefigures Israel’s future prominence among nations, particularly in the millennial reign of Christ when Israel will be exalted as the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13).
d. “Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you”: This directly fulfills the divine oracle spoken to Rebekah: “Two nations are in your womb… and the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23, NKJV). It is a reaffirmation of God’s sovereign choice of Jacob over Esau. The statement, “Let your mother’s sons bow down to you,” not only includes Esau but prophetically extends to Edom and other surrounding peoples that descended from him, who would later serve Israel in submission.
e. “Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you”: This mirrors God’s covenant words to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you” (Genesis 12:3, NKJV). It reminds us that the true source of blessing lies not in Isaac’s words but in God’s decree. The blessing itself was effective only because God had already chosen Jacob as the covenant bearer. As Boice stated, “The point is that the sovereign will of God is done, in spite of our or any other person’s opposition to it.”
God’s will prevailed over human deceit, proving that His purposes are not thwarted by sin, though sin always bears consequences.
C. Esau Discovers Jacob’s Deception
1. (Genesis 27:30–32)
“Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, ‘Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.’ And his father Isaac said to him, ‘Who are you?’ So he said, ‘I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.’” (Genesis 27:30–32, NKJV)
The timing in this account is striking. The moment Jacob departed, Esau arrived, revealing how closely God controlled every detail of the event. The deception was completed just as Esau entered, heightening the drama and underscoring divine providence even amid human failure.
a. “As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob”: The precision of this timing shows God’s sovereign orchestration. Though every participant acted in deceit or ignorance, the outcome fulfilled God’s predetermined plan. Jacob’s blessing was secured, not by his cunning, but by divine design.
b. “That your soul may bless me”: Esau returned eagerly, confident that his father’s blessing awaited him. He prepared the food joyfully, expecting to receive not only the spiritual blessing but also its accompanying material and social advantages. Esau’s focus, however, remained carnal; his concern was the temporal benefit rather than the covenant relationship with God.
c. “Who are you?”: Isaac’s confusion marks the unraveling of the deception. To Esau, this question must have seemed absurd — his father knew his voice and habits well. Yet because Isaac was blind and his senses dulled, he assumed earlier that Jacob’s imitation was genuine. Esau likely thought this was merely a result of Isaac’s poor eyesight, unaware that divine providence had already sealed the blessing’s transfer.
Jacob Deceptively Gains the Blessing of Isaac
C. Esau Discovers Jacob’s Deception
2. (Genesis 27:33) Isaac understands what Jacob did.
“Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, ‘Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him—and indeed he shall be blessed.’” (Genesis 27:33, NKJV)
When Esau entered and revealed his identity, Isaac realized in an instant what had taken place. The Scripture says he “trembled exceedingly,” a phrase that indicates violent shaking or convulsing in deep emotional and spiritual shock. The realization that he had been deceived, and that he had been opposing God’s revealed will, overwhelmed him.
a. “Isaac trembled exceedingly”: The language here is very strong, suggesting that Isaac shook uncontrollably. He was not merely startled or upset, but deeply shaken to his core. His trembling revealed conviction and fear—a realization that he had attempted to stand against the will of God and lost. As Morris noted, this could be rendered, “Isaac trembled most excessively with a great trembling.”
b. “Isaac trembled exceedingly”: His trembling was not only from shock but from recognition of divine intervention. Isaac understood that he had attempted to bless Esau against God’s word in Genesis 25:23, which said that “the older shall serve the younger.” Now he knew that despite his carnal motives and deceitful household, God’s will had prevailed. Isaac’s trembling reflects the fear of a man suddenly aware that he has been contending with the Almighty.
i. In that moment, Isaac surrendered to God’s sovereignty. His statement “and indeed he shall be blessed” was not mere resignation but a confession of faith. He acknowledged that the blessing had been transferred to Jacob and could not be reversed.
ii. Hebrews 11:20 confirms this change of heart: “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” (Hebrews 11:20, NKJV). Isaac’s faith emerged not before the blessing, but after his plan was thwarted. When he realized that God’s will had overridden his intentions, he accepted it in faith.
iii. As Spurgeon observed, “As soon as Isaac perceives that he has been wrong in wishing to bless Esau he does not persist in it. He will give Esau such a blessing as he may, but he does not think for a moment of retracting what he has done—he feels that the hand of God was in it. What is more, he tells his son, ‘He is blessed, yea, and shall be blessed.’” Isaac learned submission through failure, a lesson that every believer must eventually face when confronting God’s sovereign will.
3. (Genesis 27:34–38) Esau’s reaction to the blessing given to Jacob.
“When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me—me also, O my father!’ But he said, ‘Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.’ And Esau said, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!’ And he said, ‘Have you not reserved a blessing for me?’ Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, ‘Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?’ And Esau said to his father, ‘Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!’ And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.” (Genesis 27:34–38, NKJV)
Esau’s response was filled with anguish and frustration. He cried out in bitter agony, realizing the blessing was lost forever. His sorrow, however, was not repentance but regret for what he had forfeited. He sought restoration of the blessing’s material benefits, not reconciliation with God or acknowledgment of his spiritual indifference.
a. “He cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry”: This expression denotes a depth of emotional pain rarely described in Scripture. Esau’s cry was loud, bitter, and full of despair. It reflected the agony of one who has realized too late the consequences of his choices. The same man who once despised his birthright now grieved over its loss.
b. “Bless me; me also, O my father”: Esau’s desperate repetition of his plea shows that he valued the blessing primarily for its earthly reward. His grief was carnal, not spiritual. He did not mourn his sin or unbelief, but the loss of prosperity, power, and status.
c. “He took away my birthright”: Esau’s accusation reveals his self-deception. In Genesis 25:29–34, he willingly sold his birthright for a bowl of stew, despising its spiritual value. His words now rewrite history to make Jacob the sole villain. Both brothers were guilty, but Esau’s lack of repentance shows he had learned nothing.
i. When he saw the birthright as a spiritual inheritance, he despised it; but when he recognized its material implications, he wanted it back. This inconsistency exposes his carnal heart — a man driven by appetite, not faith.
d. “For he has supplanted me these two times”: Esau failed to take responsibility for his own choices. The Hebrew word for “supplanted” (aqab) plays on Jacob’s name, meaning “to overreach or trip up.” Yet the first “supplanting” occurred because Esau despised his own inheritance. He was not robbed; he surrendered it.
e. “Esau lifted up his voice and wept”: His tears were real but fruitless. They were tears of frustration, not repentance. His sorrow was worldly, not godly. As Paul wrote, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NKJV).
i. Hebrews 12 gives a solemn warning through Esau’s example: “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” (Hebrews 12:15–17, NKJV).
Esau’s story is a warning to every believer who trades spiritual blessings for temporal pleasures. Once the moment of despising has passed, recovery is often impossible. His weeping represents remorse without repentance — an emotion that feels regret but refuses to turn back to God.
Jacob Deceptively Gains the Blessing of Isaac
C. Esau Discovers Jacob’s Deception
4. (Genesis 27:39–40) Isaac gives a limited blessing to Esau.
“Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:
‘Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth,
And of the dew of heaven from above.
By your sword you shall live,
And you shall serve your brother;
And it shall come to pass, when you become restless,
That you shall break his yoke from your neck.’” (Genesis 27:39–40, NKJV)
After learning that Jacob had received the covenant blessing, Esau still pleaded for a blessing of his own. Isaac, though unable to reverse what was done, gave him a secondary and limited blessing. It reflected Esau’s future as the father of the Edomite nation — one of struggle, independence, and periodic hostility toward Israel.
a. “Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth”: These words can be interpreted in two ways. Some translations suggest a rich land (“of the fatness”), while others indicate a less fertile, harsh dwelling (“away from the fatness”). The latter reading fits the context of Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, who settled in the rugged region of Mount Seir — an arid land with limited agricultural bounty. Though it was not a land of plenty, Esau still became materially prosperous and powerful. When he later met Jacob, he declared, “I have enough, my brother” (Genesis 33:9, NKJV), showing that despite his wilderness dwelling, God had still granted him abundance.
i. Some scholars, such as Barnhouse, emphasize that the Hebrew preposition may mean “from” rather than “of,” indicating that Esau’s dwelling would be removed from the fertile plains enjoyed by Jacob’s descendants. This suggests that the Edomites would live as nomads in the desert highlands, surviving by their skill and endurance rather than settled prosperity.
b. “By your sword you shall live”: Esau’s life and that of his descendants would be marked by conflict. He would gain his livelihood through force and warfare, becoming a man of battle rather than peace. History confirms that the Edomites were known for their strength, raids, and independence. This was both a prophecy and a limitation — Esau would live, but by constant struggle.
c. “You shall serve your brother”: Isaac’s words reaffirm the divine decree of Genesis 25:23, that “the older shall serve the younger.” Esau’s line would live under Israel’s dominance for much of history, yet the prophecy also provided hope: “when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.” The Edomites eventually gained freedom from Israel’s control during the reign of Joram (2 Kings 8:20–22). This prophecy demonstrates that God’s sovereignty still governs human freedom — Esau’s descendants would have moments of rebellion, but Jacob’s covenant supremacy remained intact.
5. (Genesis 27:41–42) Esau’s anger.
“So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, ‘The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’ And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, ‘Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.’” (Genesis 27:41–42, NKJV)
Esau’s grief turned quickly into hatred. His heart, already hardened by spiritual indifference, was now consumed by envy and rage. The blessing that should have turned him toward repentance only deepened his rebellion.
a. “So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing”: Esau’s hatred sprang from both pride and envy. Pride, because his younger brother had been exalted over him; envy, because Jacob would now possess the covenantal prosperity that Esau desired. Proverbs 27:4 says, “Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?” (NKJV). Esau’s jealousy burned hotter than his earlier hunger.
b. “Then I will kill my brother Jacob”: His intentions turned murderous, revealing that his earlier pleas for a blessing had not stemmed from faith or repentance but from selfish desire. Esau comforted himself with fantasies of revenge, a tragic insight into the human heart’s deceitfulness. He planned to kill Jacob after Isaac’s death, believing it was imminent; yet Isaac would live another forty-three years.
i. Esau’s vow to kill Jacob shows his desire to destroy God’s chosen line. His plan was not just against his brother but against the divine decree. Perhaps he sought to prove that he could overturn God’s will through violence, yet God’s purposes cannot be undone.
ii. Many who feel wronged, like Esau, find temporary “comfort” in thoughts of vengeance. But such comfort is poison to the soul. Romans 12:19 warns, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (NKJV).
6. (Genesis 27:43–46) Rebekah makes plans for Jacob to flee.
“Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran. And stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away, until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?’ 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?’” (Genesis 27:43–46, NKJV)
When Rebekah learned of Esau’s murderous intent, she quickly devised another plan. Her manipulation saved Jacob’s life but fractured her family permanently.
a. “Stay with him a few days”: Rebekah intended for Jacob’s stay with her brother Laban to be brief, but those “few days” stretched into twenty years. During that time, Jacob would be deceived by Laban just as he had deceived his father. This was divine poetic justice — the deceiver would be deceived, and through it, God would refine Jacob’s character.
b. “If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth…”: Rebekah disguised her true motive in conversation with Isaac, appealing instead to spiritual concern over Jacob’s potential marriage to a pagan woman. This ruse succeeded in persuading Isaac to send Jacob away. Yet in winning this argument, Rebekah suffered the greatest personal loss — she never saw her son again.
i. As Kidner observed, “Rebekah’s diplomatic victory was complete; but she would never see her son again.” The cost of deceit is always greater than expected.
ii. In this tragic narrative, every character suffered loss. Isaac lost peace and spiritual discernment, Rebekah lost her son, Jacob lost his home and comfort, and Esau lost his blessing. Each sought to fulfill their desires through human wisdom rather than trust in God’s promises. Still, God’s sovereignty triumphed over their failures. His covenant purposes advanced through human weakness, proving that while sin brings sorrow, it can never overturn His eternal plan.
