Rebekah

34Esau was forty years old when he got married. He married Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite. He also married Bashemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

NoteThe Hittites were another people living in that land. Isaac's family wanted him to marry inside their own family group. In those days a man sometimes had more than one wife.

35These two wives brought sadness to Isaac and to Rebekah.

Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

1Isaac was old. His eyes were weak, and he could not see. He called Esau, his older son, and said, "My son." Esau said, "Here I am."

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.

NoteIsaac was Abraham's son. Esau and Jacob were his twin sons. Esau was born first, just before Jacob.

2Isaac said, "Look, I am old now. I do not know the day I will die."

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

3"So please take your hunting things, your arrow case and your bow. Go out to the field and hunt some meat for me."

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

4"Then cook me tasty food, the kind I love. Bring it to me so I can eat. Then I will bless you before I die."

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.

NoteA father's blessing was very important in this family. It was a special wish spoken out loud. People believed the words would really come true.

5Rebekah heard Isaac say this to his son Esau. Esau went out to the field to hunt meat and bring it back.

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

6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Listen. I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He said,"

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

7"'Bring me meat and cook me tasty food. I will eat it. Then I will bless you before the LORD before I die.'"

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

NoteLORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. It was the name this family used for him.

8"Now, my son, listen to me. Do just what I tell you."

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

9"Go to the flock. Bring me two good young goats. I will cook tasty food for your father, the kind he loves."

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:

NoteGoat meat could be cooked to taste like the wild deer meat Esau hunted. That helped hide the trick.

10"Then you will take it to your father to eat. And he will bless you before he dies."

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

11Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, "But my brother Esau has hairy skin. My skin is smooth."

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

NoteEsau's arms and skin were covered with thick hair. Jacob's skin was not.

12"Maybe my father will touch me. Then he will see I am tricking him. I will get a curse and not a blessing."

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.

NoteA curse is words that wish bad things on someone. A blessing wishes good things.

13His mother said to him, "Let the curse fall on me, my son. Just listen to me. Go and get them."

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

NoteRebekah means: if trouble comes from this, let it come to me.

14So he went and got them and brought them to his mother. She cooked tasty food, the kind his father loved.

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

15Rebekah took the best clothes of her older son Esau. They were with her in the house. She put them on her younger son Jacob.

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:

16She put the skins of the young goats on his hands. She put them on the smooth part of his neck.

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

NoteGoat hair feels rough. On Jacob's arms and neck it felt like Esau's hairy skin.

17Then she gave the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

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

41Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father gave him. Esau said in his heart, "The days of sadness for my father are near. Then I will kill my brother Jacob."

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.

NoteWhen someone died, the family kept special sad days. They cried and remembered the person together.

42Someone told Rebekah what her older son Esau said. She sent for her younger son Jacob. She said to him, "Look, your brother Esau is making himself feel better. He plans to kill you."

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.

NoteThe King James says Esau "doth comfort himself." It means he made himself feel better by planning to kill Jacob.

43"So now, my son, listen to me. Get up and run away to my brother Laban in Haran."

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

NoteLaban was Rebekah's brother, so he was Jacob's uncle. Haran was a town far away, many days of walking.

44"Stay with him a few days, until your brother's hot anger goes away."

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

45"Stay until your brother is not angry with you anymore. Stay until he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back. Why should I lose both of you in one day?"

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?

NoteIf Esau killed Jacob, Rebekah would lose Jacob. She would lose Esau too, because he would have to run away.

46Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am tired of my life because of these Hittite women. Jacob might marry one of them, one of the young women of this land. If he does, what good is my life?"

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?

NoteThe Hittites were people who lived nearby. They prayed to other gods. Esau had already married two Hittite women.

1Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he told him, "Do not marry one of the women of Canaan."

And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

NoteTo bless someone was to ask God to be good to them. Canaan was the land where Jacob's family lived. The people there prayed to other gods.

2"Get up and go to Padanaram. Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father. Marry one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother."

Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.

NotePadanaram was a land far away, many days of walking. Jacob's mother's family lived there. Back then people often married a cousin from their own family.

3"May God Almighty bless you. May he give you children, and many more after them. May you become a great many people."

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

Note"God Almighty" is a name for God. It means the one who is stronger than everything.

4"May he give you the blessing he gave Abraham. May he give it to you and to your children after you. Then this land will be yours. Right now you live here as a stranger. God gave this land to Abraham."

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

NoteAbraham was Jacob's grandfather. God had promised Abraham this land and many, many children. A stranger is someone living in a land that is not his own.

5So Isaac sent Jacob away. Jacob went to Padanaram, to Laban. Laban was the son of Bethuel the Syrian. Laban was the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

NoteSyrian means he came from Syria, a land far to the north. That is where Rebekah's family lived.

6Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob. He saw that Isaac had sent him to Padanaram to find a wife there. He saw that Isaac had told him, "Do not marry one of the women of Canaan."

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

7He also saw that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother. Jacob had gone to Padanaram.

And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

8And Esau saw that his father Isaac was not happy with the women of Canaan.

And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

9Then Esau went to Ishmael. He already had wives, and he married Mahalath too. Mahalath was the daughter of Ishmael, who was Abraham's son. She was the sister of Nebajoth.

Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

NoteIshmael was Abraham's other son. So Ishmael was Isaac's half brother. In those days a man could have more than one wife.

9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep. She took care of them.

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.

NoteGirls and young women often looked after the family sheep. It was a real job, out in the fields all day.

10Laban was the brother of Jacob's mother. Jacob saw Rachel, Laban's daughter, and Laban's sheep. So Jacob went over and rolled the stone off the well. He gave water to Laban's flock.

And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

NoteLaban was Jacob's uncle. The stone was so heavy that it usually took several men to move it.

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel. He cried out loud and wept.

And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

NoteA kiss on the cheek was the normal way to greet family. It was like a big hug today. People also cried out loud when they were happy.

12Jacob told Rachel that he belonged to her father's family. He told her he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.

NoteThe old words say Jacob was her father's "brother." Back then that word could mean any relative. Jacob was really Laban's nephew.

13Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son. He ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him and brought him home. Jacob told Laban all that had happened.

And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14Laban said to him, "You are truly my own flesh and blood." Jacob stayed with him for a month.

And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

Note"My own flesh and blood" means "you are part of my family."

29Then he told them what to do. He said, "I am going to join my people who died before me. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite."

And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

NoteFamilies were buried together in one place. Jacob wanted to rest with his father and grandfather.

30"The cave is in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought that field from Ephron the Hittite to own a burial place."

In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

NoteCanaan was the land God promised to Abraham. A cave was used as a family grave.

31"They buried Abraham and his wife Sarah there. They buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah there. And I buried Leah there."

There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

NoteAbraham and Sarah were Jacob's grandparents. Isaac and Rebekah were his father and mother. Leah was his wife.

32"The field and the cave in it were bought from the children of Heth."

The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

NoteThe children of Heth were also called Hittites. They lived in that land and sold Abraham the field.

33Jacob finished telling his sons what to do. He pulled his feet up into the bed. He took his last breath and died. He joined his people who died before him.

And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

NoteThe old words here are "yielded up the ghost." Ghost meant a person's breath or life. So the words simply mean he died.

6God's promise did not fail. Not everyone born into Israel's family really belongs to Israel.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

NoteIsrael was a man's name first. God gave that name to Jacob. Jacob's family grew into a whole nation called Israel.

7Being part of Abraham's family does not make them all his true children. God said, "Your family line will be counted through Isaac."

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

NoteAbraham was the very first father of this family. Isaac was his son. God promised that the family would be counted through Isaac.

8So being born into the family is not what makes someone God's child. God's children are the ones born because God promised them.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9Here is the promise God made: "At the right time I will come back. Sarah will have a son."

For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

NoteSarah was Abraham's wife. She was very old and had no children. God promised her a baby anyway.

10There is more to say. Rebecca was going to have twin boys. Their father was Isaac, one of our family fathers.

And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

NoteRebecca was Isaac's wife. Twins means two babies born at the same time. These twins were named Jacob and Esau.

11The twins were not born yet. They had done nothing good and nothing bad. God chose anyway. His plan stands because he calls people, not because of anything they have done.

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12God said to Rebecca, "The older boy will serve the younger boy."

It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

NoteBack then the older son usually got the biggest share. He also became the leader of the family. So this was a surprise.

13The Bible says it this way: "I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau."

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

NoteIn the old way of speaking, "loved" and "hated" could mean chose and did not choose. Here it is about which son's family God picked.