Genesis 28 8

Genesis 28:8 kjv

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

Genesis 28:8 nkjv

Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac.

Genesis 28:8 niv

Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac;

Genesis 28:8 esv

So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father,

Genesis 28:8 nlt

It was now very clear to Esau that his father did not like the local Canaanite women.

Genesis 28 verses

Genesis 28 8 meaning

Genesis 28:8 conveys Esau's realization that his Canaanite wives were displeasing to his father, Isaac. This awareness followed Isaac's specific command to Jacob not to marry Canaanite women, emphasizing the spiritual and familial preference for marriage within their kindred to maintain the covenant lineage. Esau, witnessing Jacob's departure to fulfill this instruction, recognized the strong disapproval held by his parents concerning his own choices of wives from the land.

Genesis 28 8 Context

Genesis chapter 28 initiates Jacob's journey to Paddan-Aram. Isaac, instructed by Rebekah, charges Jacob not to take a wife from Canaan, emphasizing the desire to preserve the distinct lineage of the covenant family. This instruction stems from Isaac's experience with Esau's existing Canaanite wives, who had already caused great grief to Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 26:35). Verses 6-7 describe Esau witnessing Jacob's departure and understanding that Jacob's compliance was directly linked to Isaac's prohibition against Canaanite spouses. Verse 8, therefore, encapsulates Esau's reaction: he realized the profound displeasure his parents held regarding his wives. This understanding, though outwardly leading him to take an Ishmaelite wife (Gen 28:9), stemmed from pragmatic observation rather than a true spiritual repentance concerning the covenant purity.

Genesis 28 8 Word analysis

• And Esau (וַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֔ו, wa'yare' Esav): Refers to the firstborn son of Isaac. His name often signifies a worldly perspective throughout biblical narrative, contrasted with Jacob.
• saw (רָאָה, ra'ah): More than mere physical sight; it denotes perception, comprehension, or realization. Esau apprehended the gravity of his parents' feelings. It implies a moment of understanding, not just casual observation.
• that the daughters of Canaan (בְּנוֹת כְּנָ֑עַן, benot Kena'an): Refers specifically to Esau's existing wives (Judith, Basemath from Gen 26:34), who were Hittite women, inhabitants of Canaan. Their origin signifies religious and cultural impurity from the perspective of the covenant people.
• displeased (רָע, ra'a, literally "were bad" or "were evil" in the eyes of): This word emphasizes a profound sense of wrongness, dissatisfaction, and perhaps grief or vexation. It indicates that the wives were morally or spiritually offensive, not merely personally disliked. This displeasure was rooted in their incompatible spiritual and moral heritage with the Abrahamic covenant.
• Isaac his father (יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֔יו, Yitzchaq 'aviv): Highlights the patriarch Isaac's strong disapproval. Isaac, being the direct heir of the Abrahamic covenant, held the values of his forefathers in high regard, especially concerning marital purity for the covenant line.
• "daughters of Canaan displeased Isaac his father": This phrase encapsulates the deep-seated problem of Esau's choices. The Canaanites represented paganism and moral degradation, a direct antithesis to the monotheistic worship and moral standards central to the Abrahamic lineage and God's promises. Esau's awareness of this displeasure points to the parental concern for maintaining covenant distinctiveness.

Genesis 28 8 Bonus section

Esau's decision in Genesis 28:8-9, while appearing as an act of consideration for his parents' feelings, often reveals his lack of true spiritual insight. Unlike Jacob, who, despite his flaws, sought the Abrahamic blessing and obeyed the command regarding marriage, Esau’s reaction here is more akin to damage control. He recognized his parents’ preference but did not fully grasp the covenantal significance of "separation" from pagan cultures. Marrying Mahalath, Ishmael's daughter, was not truly adhering to the spiritual requirement, as Ishmael's line was also separate from the covenant through Isaac. This reflects a failure to truly discern God's will and an ongoing focus on the outward rather than inward adherence to divine instruction. This pragmatic approach ultimately underscored his consistent lack of valuing the birthright and blessing that was inherently spiritual.

Genesis 28 8 Commentary

Genesis 28:8 marks a pivotal moment in Esau's self-perception. His "seeing" or "realizing" that his Canaanite wives displeased Isaac signifies a superficial understanding of a spiritual issue. He comprehended his parents' profound distress over his choices, which sprang from a divine injunction against spiritual impurity through intermarriage with those hostile to God's ways. However, Esau's subsequent action of taking a wife from Ishmael's line (Gen 28:9), while an attempt to placate his parents and perhaps "correct" his error, was a pragmatic decision rather than one flowing from genuine repentance or spiritual alignment with God's covenant purposes. He understood the surface-level displeasure but seemingly missed the deeper theological implications of upholding the sacred lineage distinct from pagan influences. It showcases Esau's characteristic impulsiveness and prioritizing worldly logic over true spiritual discernment.