Genesis 28:1 kjv

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.

Genesis 28:1 nkjv

Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.

Genesis 28:1 niv

So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman.

Genesis 28:1 esv

Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, "You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women.

Genesis 28:1 nlt

So Isaac called for Jacob, blessed him, and said, "You must not marry any of these Canaanite women.

Genesis 28 verses

Genesis 28 1 Meaning

Genesis 28:1 records a pivotal moment in the life of Jacob and the unfolding Abrahamic covenant. It states that Isaac summoned Jacob, re-affirmed a blessing upon him, and issued a direct, solemn command: Jacob must not marry a woman from the daughters of Canaan. This instruction emphasizes the paramount importance of maintaining the purity of the chosen lineage and preserving the spiritual distinctiveness of God's covenant people from the idolatrous practices of the surrounding nations. It marks Isaac's acceptance of Jacob as the inheritor of the blessing despite the earlier deception and sets the stage for Jacob's journey to Padan Aram to find a wife from his kinsfolk.

Genesis 28 1 Context

Genesis 28:1 directly follows the intense drama of Jacob's deception of Isaac and his appropriation of Esau's blessing. Esau, enraged, vows to kill Jacob after their father's death. Rebekah, foreseeing this danger, takes initiative and persuades Isaac that Jacob should travel to her family in Padan Aram to find a wife, rather than marrying a Canaanite woman, which displeased both Rebekah and Isaac (Gen 26:34-35, 27:46).

Thus, Isaac’s calling of Jacob in Genesis 28:1 serves multiple crucial functions:

1. Reconciliation/Legitimization: It represents Isaac's explicit, post-deception recognition and confirmation of Jacob as the inheritor of the covenant blessings. This is not a new blessing for Jacob’s journey or marriage, but a re-affirmation of the one already received, now given with full knowledge and paternal intent.
2. Parental Authority: It underscores Isaac's continuing patriarchal authority and his role in guiding Jacob’s life path, particularly concerning marriage.
3. Covenant Preservation: The central command about not marrying Canaanite women highlights the spiritual concern for the distinctiveness and purity of the Abrahamic covenant line. The Canaanites were known for their idolatry and morally corrupt practices, and intermarriage threatened to assimilate God's chosen family into these destructive ways, thereby undermining the divine promise to raise a peculiar people for Himself. This context also reflects the ancient Near Eastern cultural value of marrying within one's kin group to preserve heritage and tribal identity, but in Israel's case, it took on an explicit spiritual dimension against idol worship.

Genesis 28 1 Word analysis

• And Isaac (וַיִּצְחַק – wa-yitṣḥaq): The name "Isaac" means "he laughs" or "laughter," reflecting the joyous, if surprising, circumstances of his birth (Gen 17:17, 18:12, 21:6). His active role here ("called," "blessed," "charged") demonstrates his paternal authority and deliberate confirmation of Jacob's inheritance, despite his advanced age and previous unwitting deception.

• called (וַיִּקְרָא – wa-yiqra'): A verb indicating a summons, often for significant purposes or instructions. Here, it signifies that Jacob was deliberately summoned by his father to receive crucial directives, underlining the seriousness of the impending communication.

• Jacob (יַעֲקֹב – ya'aqov): Meaning "heel-grabber" or "supplanter." The irony of his name is poignant given his past actions. However, despite his flawed character and deceptive methods, he is chosen and confirmed by God's providence and Isaac's eventual intentional blessing. This emphasizes God's sovereign choice over human merit.

• and blessed him (וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ – wa-yevarekh 'otho): To bless (ברך - barak) implies conferring divine favor, power, or prosperity. In this context, it confirms and reinforces the patriarchal blessing Jacob had just deceptively obtained (Gen 27). Isaac now gives this blessing with full knowledge and intent, thereby legitimizing Jacob's position as the primary heir of the Abrahamic covenant. It's not a new blessing, but an intentional endorsement of the already spoken one.

• and charged him (וַיְצַוֵּהוּ – wa-yetsawwehu): From the root צוה (tsawāh), meaning to command, to give an official order or strict instruction. This term conveys strong authority and seriousness, highlighting that the following instruction is a non-negotiable directive, not merely advice. This contrasts with "said," emphasizing the weight of the command.

• and said unto him (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו – wa-yō'mer 'elaw): A standard transition phrase, indicating the beginning of direct speech. While tsawāh implies the weight, 'amar (אָמַר) introduces the content of the command.

• Thou shalt not take (לֹא תִקַּח – lo' tiqqaḥ): A strong negative command using lo' (no, not) followed by the imperfect verb (tiqqaḥ, you shall take), which acts as a prohibitive injunction. This is a direct, emphatic prohibition, emphasizing the severity and consequence of disobedience.

• a wife (אִשָּׁה – 'ishshah): General term for a woman, but in this context specifically meaning a spouse. The singular points to the primary focus on one particular marriage that must adhere to this rule, but the principle extends to all future unions.

• of the daughters of Canaan (מִבְּנוֹת כְּנָעַן – mi-b'nōt K'na'an): Refers to the female inhabitants of the land of Canaan. This specific prohibition is crucial. The Canaanites were known for their polytheism, idol worship, and various detestable practices (Lev 18:24-30). Marrying from among them would lead to spiritual assimilation, cultic defilement, and a departure from the covenant unique to the seed of Abraham. This establishes a foundational principle for the distinctiveness and purity of God's chosen people, ensuring the preservation of the covenant lineage.

• "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him": This phrase details Isaac’s deliberate, authoritative actions. It’s a triple affirmation: Jacob is summoned by paternal authority, he receives the spiritual inheritance (blessing), and then he receives specific behavioral mandates (charged him), signifying a transfer of both status and responsibility.

• "Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan": This is the crux of the charge. It underscores a central theme of separation and covenant fidelity. It establishes a divine standard for marital choices within the Abrahamic lineage, a principle later codified in Mosaic law. This directive serves to protect the future nation from the moral and spiritual corruption of the indigenous pagan cultures, which would ultimately prevent them from fulfilling their destiny as God's chosen people.

Genesis 28 1 Bonus section

• This verse can be seen as a fulfillment, in principle, of God's command to Abraham in Gen 12:1 to "get out of thy country, and from thy kindred." While Jacob is moving to kindred, the ultimate purpose is a spiritual separation from a defiled land and its people, ensuring the lineage remains distinct and undefiled for God's purposes.
• The absence of specific reasons stated by Isaac in this verse highlights that this command is an implicit expectation and understanding, flowing from Rebekah's complaints and Esau's already documented failures (Gen 26:34-35; 27:46), serving as a crucial point of covenant transmission from generation to generation.
• Scholars note that while Genesis 28 focuses on Rebekah's prompting, Isaac's definitive action here elevates the instruction to an authoritative blessing, distinct from just a mother's anxious advice. It becomes part of Jacob’s covenant inheritance.

Genesis 28 1 Commentary

Genesis 28:1 is far more than a simple parental instruction regarding marriage; it is a divinely guided confirmation of Jacob's destiny and a foundational step in preserving the covenant lineage. Isaac, now fully aware of Jacob having received the primary blessing, deliberately summons him to affirm his new standing. This re-affirmation signals God's enduring choice of Jacob, despite the prior human deception.

The core of Isaac’s charge—not to marry a Canaanite woman—is profoundly significant. This prohibition underscores the theological necessity of Israel's separation from pagan idolatry. The land of Canaan, though promised to Abraham's descendants, was steeped in practices anathema to the worship of the one true God. Intermarriage posed a direct threat to the spiritual integrity of the nascent nation, potentially introducing polytheism, syncretism, and corrupt moral customs that would violate the Abrahamic covenant. It reflects God’s foresight and care to set apart a people for Himself, safeguarding the line through whom the Messiah would eventually come (Gal 3:16). This principle echoes Abraham’s earlier instruction for Isaac’s wife (Gen 24:3) and foreshadows numerous biblical laws and historical warnings against "unequal yokes" with unbelievers, stressing the importance of shared faith and moral values for covenant continuity (Deut 7:3-4, 2 Cor 6:14). Thus, the verse propels Jacob onto his path towards Paddan-Aram, a journey that would profoundly shape his character and the destiny of the twelve tribes of Israel.