Genesis 27:5 kjv

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

Genesis 27:5 nkjv

Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it.

Genesis 27:5 niv

Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back,

Genesis 27:5 esv

Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it,

Genesis 27:5 nlt

But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to his son Esau. So when Esau left to hunt for the wild game,

Genesis 27 verses

Genesis 27 5 Meaning

Genesis 27:5 describes the precise moment Rebekah, overhearing her husband Isaac's instructions to their eldest son Esau, intervenes in the family's lineage. She actively listened as Isaac directed Esau to hunt game for a special meal, upon which Isaac intended to bestow a blessing. This verse sets the immediate stage for the elaborate deception that follows, revealing Rebekah's intent to subvert Isaac's plan and secure the blessing for Jacob, her favored son.

Genesis 27 5 Context

Genesis chapter 27 is pivotal, detailing Isaac's intention to bless Esau, Esau's response, and Rebekah and Jacob's cunning plot to steal the blessing. Verse 5 acts as the crucial trigger, as Rebekah, eavesdropping, learns of Isaac's plan to formalize the spiritual inheritance for Esau. This knowledge propels her into action, fueled by her favoritism for Jacob (Gen 25:28) and possibly by her remembrance of God's prophecy that the elder would serve the younger (Gen 25:23). The historical context reveals patriarchal family structures where the father's blessing was paramount, akin to a legal will determining destiny. Isaac, elderly and blind, desires to impart his final blessing. Culturally, hunting and bringing a special meal were signs of filial duty and preparation for significant events like a paternal blessing. The verse shows a family fractured by favoritism and human maneuvering attempting to bypass or force God's will, setting up generations of conflict between the descendants of Jacob and Esau.

Genesis 27 5 Word analysis

• Now Rebekah:
  • Significance: Establishes the agent of intervention. Her name means "ensnarer" or "one who ties up," perhaps ironically reflecting her action here. She is a woman of action, here deciding to manipulate the situation.
• was listening:
  • Hebrew: שֹׁמַעַת (shom'at) - a present participle, implying continuous or active, intentional listening rather than accidental overhearing. This highlights her purposeful act of acquiring information.
• when Isaac:
  • Significance: Specifies the authority figure whose intentions are being monitored and subsequently thwarted. Isaac is in a position of spiritual and familial authority.
• spoke:
  • Hebrew: מְדַבֵּר (medaber) - also a present participle (piel), indicating ongoing speech, a clear conversation, not just a passing remark. It confirms Rebekah gathered the full scope of Isaac's directive.
• to Esau his son:
  • Significance: Identifies the intended recipient of Isaac's blessing, underscoring the conflict of favoritism within the family (Isaac favoring Esau, Rebekah favoring Jacob).
• So Esau:
  • Significance: Connects his subsequent action directly to his father's instruction, indicating obedience and a lack of suspicion.
• went to the field:
  • Significance: Implies immediate action and separation from the house, leaving the stage open for Rebekah and Jacob's plot.
• to hunt for game:
  • Hebrew: לָצוּד (latsud) - "to hunt" (infinitive construct), purpose clause. Esau's task is clearly defined.
  • Hebrew: צַיִד (tsayid) - "game," specifically what is hunted. This represents the object of Isaac's desire for the special meal.
• and bring it:
  • Hebrew: לְהָבִיא (lehavi') - "to bring" (infinitive construct), another purpose clause. This signifies the completion of his task, enabling the blessing.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son": This phrase sets up the pivotal dramatic irony. Rebekah's eavesdropping is not passive but an active, intelligent maneuver to gain crucial information about a hidden intention, leading to direct interference in God's chosen path (as foretold in Gen 25:23). It reveals her personality – proactive and decisive, but also prone to manipulation.
• "So Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it": This depicts Esau's simple, obedient response to his father's request. He departs innocently to fulfill the command, oblivious to the impending deception orchestrated in his absence. This highlights his trust and simplicity, in stark contrast to the cunning of Rebekah and Jacob. It underscores the narrative's tension between honest obedience and calculating deceit.

Genesis 27 5 Bonus section

The Hebrew particles and verb forms ("shom'at," "medaber") in this verse, being present participles, emphasize the ongoing nature of the actions – Rebekah was in the act of listening while Isaac was in the act of speaking. This imparts a sense of immediate apprehension and active engagement by Rebekah, rather than a mere, brief passing sound. This detail accentuates the deliberate nature of her intervention. Her actions, although resulting in the fulfillment of God's prior declaration regarding Jacob and Esau (Gen 25:23), underscore that divine purposes do not negate human moral responsibility for the chosen means. This passage illustrates a recurring biblical theme: God works through flawed human agents, often in spite of their sin, to achieve His perfect plan. However, the immediate consequence for Rebekah and Jacob was significant, with Jacob enduring exile and Laban's deception.

Genesis 27 5 Commentary

Genesis 27:5 marks the critical turning point in the unfolding narrative of Jacob's stolen blessing. Rebekah's active eavesdropping reveals a determined individual taking matters into her own hands. This isn't a passive oversight but a calculated act that positions her to thwart Isaac's desires and seemingly "help" God's prophecy (Gen 25:23) come to pass through human, sinful means. Esau's subsequent departure, dutifully carrying out his father's request, portrays him as unaware of the manipulation about to transpire. The verse brilliantly sets up the dramatic irony of the situation, where one party acts with open obedience while another begins a journey of secretive deception, leading to profound consequences for all involved and shaping the future of Israel.

• Practical usage: This verse reminds believers that trying to force God's will through deceitful or unethical means, even with good intentions, can lead to negative repercussions and family discord.
• Practical usage: It illustrates how partial obedience (Esau to Isaac) does not prevent the impact of another's sin.
• Practical usage: The scene cautions against favoritism within families, showing how it can breed unhealthy dynamics and justify deceit.