PrevGenesis 27:46Next

Genesis 27

And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:

My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.

And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:

And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:

And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?

And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.

And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

And Jacob went near unto 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 discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.

And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.

And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.

And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived 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 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?

What does Genesis 27:46 mean?

Genesis 27:46

"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?"

Meaning and Explanation

In Genesis 27:46, Rebekah expresses to her husband Isaac a profound weariness and despair over the prospect of their son Jacob marrying a local Canaanite woman, specifically "of the daughters of Heth." She fears that such a marriage would nullify the purpose and joy of her life, seeing it as a threat to the covenantal identity and future of the family.

This verse is a pivotal narrative device that sets in motion Jacob's journey to find a wife from within their kin in Paddan-aram, ensuring the continuation of the Abrahamic lineage according to God's promise.

Rebekah’s lament, "I am weary of my life," is not mere personal complaint but a statement of covenantal crisis.

She has already witnessed the negative consequences of intermarriage with the local Canaanite population through her son Esau’s marriages to Hittite women, which brought grief to both her and Isaac (Genesis 26:34-35).

Her declaration is a strategic appeal to Isaac, framing Jacob’s potential marriage as an existential threat to the family's divine calling.

Top Rated Genesis Books

Her words reveal a mother’s protective zeal for the spiritual destiny of the chosen line, demonstrating that the preservation of God's promise often depends on the faithful actions of individuals within the family unit.

Her intervention, motivated by this deep distress, directly leads to Isaac blessing Jacob and sending him away to find a wife from Rebekah’s brother Laban, thus protecting the covenant lineage.

Quick Reference

Attribute	Detail
Book	Genesis
Testament	Old Testament
Genre	Narrative (Patriarchal History)
Author	Traditionally Moses
Audience	The people of Israel
Key Theme	Protecting Covenantal Lineage

Context

Immediate Context

This verse concludes Genesis chapter 27.

The immediate context is the aftermath of Jacob’s deception, where he obtained Isaac’s blessing meant for Esau.

Esau’s hatred and plan to kill Jacob force Rebekah to devise a plan to send Jacob away for his safety (Genesis 27:41-45).

Her statement in verse 46 provides Isaac with a compelling, additional reason for Jacob’s departure that goes beyond sibling rivalry: the urgent need to secure a proper wife and thus safeguard the family's future.

Chapter 28 opens with Isaac acting on this concern, blessing Jacob again and explicitly commanding him not to marry a Canaanite woman but to go to Paddan-aram to find a wife from Rebekah’s family.

Book Context

Genesis is the book of beginnings, establishing God's covenants with humanity and specifically with the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

A central theme is the transmission of the Abrahamic promise (land, descendants, blessing) through a chosen lineage.

Repeatedly, the narrative highlights threats to this lineage, famine, infertility, conflict, and intermarriage with pagan nations.

Rebekah’s concern in this verse fits squarely into this theme.

It shows that the fulfillment of God’s promises is not automatic but involves human responsibility, wisdom, and sometimes drastic action to maintain separation from the corrupting influence of the surrounding Canaanite cultures.

Cultural Background

Rebekah’s distress is deeply rooted in the patriarchal understanding of marriage, family identity, and covenant.

Marriage and Family Continuity: In the ancient Near East, marriage was not merely a personal union but a critical socio-economic and religious alliance between families. A wife was seen as the vessel for continuing the family name, inheritance, and legacy. To marry outside the clan risked introducing foreign loyalties, gods, and customs.
Canaanite Religious Practices: The "daughters of Heth" (Hittites/Canaanites) worshipped a pantheon of gods (e.g., Baal, Asherah) through practices often involving idolatry, ritual prostitution, and even child sacrifice. The Torah later explicitly forbids intermarriage with Canaanite nations precisely because it would turn the Israelites' hearts away from Yahweh (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Rebekah’s instinctive rejection of such marriages aligns with this later codified law, showing an early understanding of the spiritual danger.
Endogamy: The practice of marrying within a specific kinship group (endogamy) was crucial for the patriarchs. Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own kindred (Genesis 24), and Isaac and Rebekah now do the same for Jacob. This was to preserve not just ethnic purity but, more importantly, the purity of worship and faithfulness to the covenant with Yahweh.

Literary Features

Feature	Description
Genre	Narrative Prose. The verse uses direct speech to reveal character motivation and advance the plot.
Hyperbole	Rebekah’s statement, "what good shall my life do me?" is hyperbolic, emphasizing the depth of her despair and the supreme importance she places on this issue. It is a rhetorical device to move Isaac to action.
Narrative Technique - Foreshadowing & Irony	Her words foreshadow the later struggle of the Israelites to remain separate from Canaanite influence. There is also irony: Rebekah, who just masterminded a deception, now speaks a profound truth about covenant faithfulness. Her manipulative actions for Jacob’s gain are followed by a righteous concern for his spiritual future.
Key Word Repetition	The phrase "daughters of Heth" is repeated for emphasis, connecting this scene back to the grief caused by Esau’s marriages (Genesis 26:34-35) and reinforcing the object of her dread.

Word Study

Original Word	Transliteration	Meaning	Significance
קַצְתִּי	qaṣtî	"I am weary," "I loathe," "I am disgusted"	This strong verb expresses profound physical and emotional exhaustion and revulsion. It denotes a complete loss of vitality and joy due to a specific cause.
בְּנֵי־חֵת	bənê-ḥēṯ	"sons of Heth" / "daughters of Heth"	Heth was a son of Canaan (Genesis 10:15). The "Hittites" here are a subgroup of the Canaanite population inhabiting the land. They represent the indigenous pagan culture that stands in opposition to the covenant family's calling and identity.

Translation Comparison

Major translations handle the emotional core of Rebekah’s statement consistently, with slight variations in tone.

Translation	Rendering
KJV	I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth... what good shall my life do me?
NIV	I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women... my life will not be worth living.
ESV	I loathe my life because of the Hittite women... what good will my life be to me?
NASB	I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth... what good will my life be to me?
NLT	I am sick and tired of these local Hittite women! ... I’d rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.

The NLT is the most paraphrased, making the emotional tone and consequence explicit. The others closely align, with "loathe" (ESV) and "disgusted" (NIV) capturing a stronger sense of revulsion than "weary" (KJV, NASB).

Interpretive Perspectives

Jewish Interpretation

Rabbinic tradition (e.g., in Genesis Rabbah) praises Rebekah for her righteousness and perceptiveness in this moment.

Her complaint is seen not as nagging but as prophetic insight.

The rabbis connect her "weariness" directly to the idolatrous practices of the Hittite women, suggesting she saw that such a marriage would lead Jacob astray.

Her action is viewed as essential for preserving the covenant.

Historical Christian Interpretation

Early Church Fathers, such as Chrysostom, often focused on the allegorical layer: Rebekah (representing the patience of God or the Church) ensuring the "younger son" (Jacob, representing the Gentile Christians or the spiritual line) receives the blessing and remains separate from the "daughters of Heth" (representing heresy or worldly philosophy).

The Reformation returned focus to the literal, historical sense, viewing Rebekah’s concern as a model of godly parenting, prioritizing spiritual covenant faithfulness over cultural assimilation or personal convenience.

Difficulties and Questions

Apparent Contradiction: Rebekah's Motive

Some readers question Rebekah’s motive: Is she genuinely concerned about covenant purity, or is she using this as a clever pretext to get Jacob away from Esau’s wrath (from Genesis 27:42-45)? The text likely presents both as true.

Her fear of Esau’s vengeance is the immediate practical reason to send Jacob away.

Her stated weariness over the marriage issue provides the righteous, covenantal justification that prompts Isaac’s official, blessed send-off.

The narrative weaves human strategy and divine providence together seamlessly.

The Identity of the "Hittites"

The term "Hittites" (bənê-ḥēṯ) here does not refer to the powerful Anatolian Hittite Empire but to a smaller Canaanite tribe living in the hills of Judah (e.g., around Hebron, where Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite).

This local Canaanite group is consistently portrayed negatively in the Patriarchal narratives as a people from whom the covenant family must remain distinct.

Cross-References

Reference	Connection
Genesis 24:3-4	Abraham makes his servant swear not to get a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites but from his own kindred, establishing the precedent Rebekah upholds.
Genesis 26:34-35	Esau’s marriages to two Hittite women made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah, providing the immediate, painful context for Rebekah’s dread.
Genesis 28:1-2	Isaac’s direct response to Rebekah’s complaint: he commands Jacob not to marry a Canaanite and sends him to Paddan-aram.
Deuteronomy 7:3-4	The Mosaic Law later codifies the principle behind Rebekah’s instinct: forbidding intermarriage with Canaanite nations because it will lead God’s people into idolatry.
2 Corinthians 6:14	The New Testament principle for believers not to be "unequally yoked" with unbelievers echoes the spiritual concern underlying Rebekah’s distress.

Theological Significance

This verse contributes to the biblical theme of God’s faithfulness working through human faithfulness.

Doctrine	Contribution
God’s Providence	God uses Rebekah’s maternal concern and strategic speech to ensure Jacob leaves the land, setting him on the path where he will encounter God at Bethel, build his family, and be forged into Israel. Human anxiety and action become instruments of divine plan.
Covenant Fidelity	The verse highlights that the covenant community must actively guard its distinct identity. God’s promises are sure, but their outworking requires a conscious separation from beliefs and practices that oppose God’s character and commands.
Theology of Family	It shows parents have a God-given responsibility for the spiritual direction of their children, particularly regarding core commitments like marriage. This responsibility can require difficult conversations and decisive action.

Application

Rebekah’s desperate plea, rooted in a desire to protect God's promise, offers enduring lessons for believers.

Life Area	Application
Parenting & Discipleship	Parents and spiritual mentors must have the courage to guide those in their care toward choices that align with God’s covenant promises, even when it is difficult or requires separation from culturally acceptable paths. This is especially crucial in matters of core belief, vocation, and marriage.
Community & Church Life	The church, as the covenant community, must lovingly but clearly maintain its distinct identity in Christ. This involves cultivating deep fellowship within the body to meet needs for companionship and marriage, reducing the perceived necessity of forming primary bonds with those who do not share core faith commitments.
Personal Spiritual Health	Believers should regularly examine their closest alliances and influences. Are there relationships or cultural practices that cause a "weariness" of spirit or slowly pull one’s heart away from wholehearted devotion to God? Rebekah’s discernment calls for proactive, rather than reactive, spiritual care.

Related Verses

Genesis 24:3-4: Abraham’s command to find Isaac a wife from his own people.
Genesis 26:34-35: Esau’s Hittite wives bring grief to Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 28:1-5: Isaac sends Jacob to Paddan-aram to find a wife.
Ezra 9:1-2, 12: Ezra’s grief and prayer over the people’s intermarriage with foreign nations after the exile.
1 Kings 11:1-4: Solomon’s foreign wives turn his heart away from God.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18: The call for believers not to be unequally yoked.

Genesis 27

Genesis 27

What does Genesis 27:46 mean?

Meaning and Explanation

Top Rated Genesis Books

Quick Reference

Context

Immediate Context

Book Context

Cultural Background

Literary Features

Word Study

Translation Comparison

Interpretive Perspectives

Jewish Interpretation

Historical Christian Interpretation

Difficulties and Questions

Apparent Contradiction: Rebekah's Motive

The Identity of the "Hittites"

Cross-References

Theological Significance

Application

Related Verses

Want more context?

What does Genesis 27:46 mean?

Meaning and Explanation

Top Rated Genesis Books

Quick Reference

Context

Immediate Context

Book Context

Cultural Background

Literary Features

Word Study

Translation Comparison

Interpretive Perspectives

Jewish Interpretation

Historical Christian Interpretation

Difficulties and Questions

Apparent Contradiction: Rebekah's Motive

The Identity of the "Hittites"

Cross-References

Theological Significance

Application

Related Verses

Want more context?