Genesis 27:6-10 Meaning: Why Didn't Rebekah Trust God?
6Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
7‘Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before Yahweh before my death.’
8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you.
9Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves.
10You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.”
6And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
7Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.
8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
9Go 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:
10And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
6And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
7Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless thee before Jehovah before my death.
8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
9Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savory food for thy father, such as he loveth:
10and thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, so that he may bless thee before his death.
6and Rebekah hath spoken unto Jacob her son, saying, `Lo, I have heard thy father speaking unto Esau thy brother, saying,
7Bring for me provision, and make for me tasteful things, and I do eat, and bless thee before Jehovah before my death.
8`And now, my son, hearken to my voice, to that which I am commanding thee:
9Go, I pray thee, unto the flock, and take for me from thence two good kids of the goats, and I make them tasteful things for thy father, such as he hath loved;
10and thou hast taken in to thy father, and he hath eaten, so that his soul doth bless thee before his death.
6And Rebecca spoke to Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak to Esau thy brother, saying,
7Bring me venison, and prepare me a savoury dish, that I may eat, and bless thee before Jehovah, before my death.
8And now, my son, hearken to my voice in that which I command thee.
9Go, I pray thee, to the flock, and fetch me thence two good kids of the goats. And I will make of them a savoury dish for thy father, such as he loves.
10And thou shalt bring [it] to thy father, that he may eat, in order that he may bless thee before his death.
Meaning in one sentence
In Genesis 27:6, 10, Rebekah schemes to secure Jacob's blessing, showing the struggle between human cunning and trusting God's promise.
Context
This scene takes place late in Isaac’s life. He is old, blind, and convinced his death is near. He calls for Esau, his older son, to hunt and prepare a meal so he can give him the blessing of the firstborn. But Isaac is acting against what God had said years earlier: that the elder would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23). Rebekah, who received that oracle directly, overhears Isaac’s plan. Without pausing to pray or speak to Isaac, she acts. She tells Jacob to fetch goats from the flock so she can cook a meal that will fool Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing instead. It is a family divided by favoritism and fear, and Rebekah’s decision sets off a chain of consequences that will separate Jacob from his home for years.
Key Words
The word that drives this whole scene is bless (Hebrew barakh). In the Old Testament, a blessing is not just a wish, it is a transfer of God’s favor, spoken in His presence like a living promise. Isaac says he will bless Esau “before Yahweh,” using the phrase lipnei Yahweh, which literally means “to the face of Yahweh.” The blessing is a religious act, and Rebekah knows that once spoken, it carries divine weight. That is why she panics.
Another key phrase is obey my voice. The Hebrew verb shama can mean “hear” or “listen,” but in this context it demands full compliance. Rebekah is not offering a suggestion; she is commanding Jacob, and he will follow, though his own conscience wavers. These words reveal the intensity of the moment: a mother afraid that a mistaken blessing will undo God’s plan, grabbing control by sheer force of will.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage with mixed feelings. Many see in Rebekah a fierce faith, she believed the promise God gave her and acted boldly to see it fulfilled. The Cambridge Bible notes that she was “jealous for his sake,” convinced that Isaac’s blessing of Esau would reverse the oracle. Matthew Henry says her end was good but her means were bad. Wesley’s Explanatory Notes is sharper: she should have reminded Isaac of God’s word rather than deceiving him. Other commentators point out that Jacob had already bought the birthright, so the blessing was rightfully his, yet that did not make the deceit right. All agree: Rebekah believed God’s promise, but she did not trust God to keep it without her manipulation.
A common misunderstanding
A common reading is that Rebekah simply gave up on God’s promise. But she believed the prophecy deeply, that was exactly why she acted. The real mistake was thinking the promise needed her help to come true. In fact, she could not see how God could work through Isaac’s flawed plan, so she took over. The issue was not a lack of faith in the promise, but a lack of trust that God could bring it about without her scheming.
Living This Out
Most of us have been in situations where we know what God wants, but we also see someone making a decision that seems to threaten it. Maybe at work, where a colleague is about to get a promotion that would hurt the team. Or in church, where leaders are heading a direction that feels wrong. The temptation is to manipulate, to twist the truth, to push things back on course by our own cleverness.
This week, watch for that impulse. When you catch yourself planning a shortcut to protect what God has promised, stop. Pray instead. Ask God to manage the people you cannot control. He kept His word to Rebekah despite her schemes, and He can keep His word to you without your scheming, too.
Main takeaway: God’s promises are secure; we can trust Him to fulfill His word without resorting to deception or manipulation.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Rebekah wanted Jacob to get the special blessing from Isaac. But instead of asking God to help, she told Jacob to pretend to be Esau. That was not the right way. God had already promised the blessing to Jacob. We can trust God to keep His promises without tricking anyone.
For ages 9, 12
When Rebekah heard Isaac planning to bless Esau, she panicked. She forgot that God had already said Jacob would be the leader. Her plan worked, but it caused big problems in the family and forced Jacob to run away from home. God wants us to trust Him enough to wait, even when things seem to be going wrong. He is faithful even when we are not.
Questions People Ask
Why did Rebekah deceive Isaac?
She believed Jacob deserved the blessing based on God’s prophecy and Jacob’s purchase of the birthright. She feared Isaac’s mistake would override God’s plan, so she took matters into her own hands.
Does this story show that God uses our sin to fulfill His purposes?
Christians have debated this. The passage does not justify sin; it shows God working through flawed people. The consequences of deception are real, yet God’s promise still stands.
What does 'before Yahweh' mean in this passage?
It indicates Isaac intended to bless Esau as a religious act, invoking God’s presence. That made Rebekah more desperate to intervene, since the blessing carried divine weight.
Was Jacob at fault for going along with the plan?
Jacob expressed fear of being discovered and cursed. Yet he obeyed his mother. His moral state is complex; later his own life shows consequences of deceit.
What can we learn from this passage?
Even when we know God’s will, we can be tempted to force it by wrong means. The story calls us to trust God’s timing and to act with integrity.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study