Genesis 27:13 · Bible study
Genesis 27:13 Commentary: Rebekah’s Bold Offer to Bear the Curse
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Rebekah's daring offer to bear a curse for Jacob's blessing. Faith and deception intertwined in this complex narrative.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Rebekah's willing to bear the curse to secure the blessing, a mix of faith in God's promise and reliance on deception.
- Key words: curse (קְלָלָה / qelalah), only (אַךְ / akh), obey (שָׁמַע / shama), go (הָלַךְ / halakh), fetch (לָקַח / laqach).
- Main debate: Was Rebekah's action faithful or sinful? (Most commentators say both: faithful in motive, sinful in method.)
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over human decision, even flawed faith advances his plan, but sin has consequences.
- Best use: Preaching on the tension between trusting God's promises and avoiding shortcuts; small-group discussion on the ethics of 'helping God.'
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
His mother replied, “Your curse be on me, my son. Just obey my voice and go get them for me.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son; only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and his mother saith to him, `On me thy disesteem, my son; only hearken to my voice, and go, take for me.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And his mother said to him, On me [be] thy curse, my son! Only hearken to my voice, and go, fetch [them].
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And his mother said to him: Upon me be this curse, my son: only hear thou my voice, and go, fetch me the things which I have said.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y su madre respondió: Hijo mío, sobre mí tu maldición: solamente obedece á mi voz, y ve y tráemelos.
E sua mãe respondeu: Filho meu, sobre mim tua maldição: somente obedece à minha voz, e vai e traze-os a mim.
Sa mère lui dit: Que cette malédiction, mon fils, retombe sur moi! Écoute seulement ma voix, et va me les prendre.
Da sprach seine Mutter zu ihm: Der Fluch sei auf mir, mein Sohn; gehorche nur meiner Stimme, gehe und hole mir.
En zijn moeder zeide tot hem: Uw vloek zij op mij, mijn zoon! hoor alleen naar mijn stem, en ga, haal ze mij.
E sua madre gli rispose: “Questa maledizione ricada su me, figliuol mio! Ubbidisci pure alla mia voce, e va’ a prendermi i capretti”.
I rzekła mu matka jego: Na mię niech będzie przeklęstwo twoje, synu mój; tylko usłuchaj głosu mego, a szedłszy, przynieś mi.
Мать его сказала ему: на мне пусть будет проклятие твое, сын мой, только послушайся слов моих и пойди, принеси мне.
他母親 對他 說：「我兒，你招的咒詛 歸到我身上；你只管 聽 我的話，去 把羊羔給我 拿來。」
And his mother said, Let the curse be on me, my son: only do as I say, and go and get them for me.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 27:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Rebekah acted from faith in God's promise of Genesis 25:23, yet her choice to deceive Isaac was sinful. Calvin calls it 'hasty zeal' and 'presumptuous', she had no divine command. Matthew Henry states plainly: 'the end was good, . . . the means were bad.' Adam Clarke notes that the sacred writer 'nowhere says that God would have any man to copy this conduct.' Gill is more affirming, describing her offer as spoken 'in the strong faith of the divine oracle.' The Cambridge Bible compares her to Lady Macbeth, 'absorbed in her plan, she will not waste time upon the consideration of ill results.' There is no debate that Rebekah's method was wrong. What remains striking is that her confidence in God's purpose did not waver. She believed the promise so completely that she risked the curse falling on herself rather than on her son.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Faithful but misguided: Rebekah believed God's oracle (Gen 25:23) but sinned by deceiving Isaac. Supported by Calvin, Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke.
- Bold faith rewarded: Her willingness to bear the curse shows extraordinary trust; God honoured her initiative despite the sin. Emphasized by Gill and the Targum of Onkelos.
What is clear: Rebekah acted out of faith in God's promise while using deception, and the narrative records both the sin and God's sovereign accomplishment of his plan.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Rebekah's motive | She acted out of faith in God's oracle that Jacob would be the chosen son (Gen 25:23). | Whether her faith justified her deception: Calvin and Matthew Henry call it sinful presumption; Gill sees it as confidence in the divine promise. |
| Moral evaluation of the deception | All commentators condemn the lie and the scheme as sinful, regardless of motive. | How seriously do we weigh this sin against her faith? Some emphasize grace (God still blesses Jacob); others warn against emulating her methods. |
| Her willingness to bear the curse | It shows deep maternal love and readiness to suffer in Jacob's place. | Is it reckless and lacking trust in God's protection, or does it express a vicarious, almost Christlike pattern? Church tradition is divided. |
| God's response to the story | God sovereignly overruled human sin to fulfil his covenant purpose. | Does God approve of the outcome (Jacob blessed) or does the eventual family strife show divine disapproval? All agree the narrative records both blessing and conflict. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The patriarchal blessing in Genesis was not a mere wish or informal prayer, it carried binding, prophetic power. A father's spoken words were understood to shape the future of the recipient (see Genesis 27:28, 29; 27:39, 40). Isaac intended to confer this irreversible blessing on Esau, the firstborn, in keeping with cultural custom. Rebekah, remembering the oracle given before the twins' birth, 'the elder will serve the younger' (Genesis 25:23), knew that God's plan contradicted Isaac's intention.
In the ancient Near East, a curse was equally potent. A spoken curse could be transferred or inherited. Jacob's fear of being discovered as 'a deceiver' (v.12) shows he knew the real danger: a curse from his father could undo him. Rebekah's offer, 'Upon me be thy curse, my son,' was therefore not empty drama. She was volunteering to stand in the path of a spiritual and social disaster, to bear the consequences if the plan backfired.
The Hebrew word for 'curse' here is qelalah (H7045), the opposite of berakhah (blessing). The phrase 'upon me' (עָלַי / 'alay) is emphatic in word order, the curse lands on her, not Jacob. This echoes later biblical scenes where one person takes responsibility for another: Judah's pledge to be collateral for Benjamin (Genesis 43:9). In Rebekah's case, her offer is both loving and reckless, loving because she was willing to suffer; reckless because she had not consulted God.
The cross-references to I Samuel 14 show Saul's impulsive curse on his troops and the people's later rescue of Jonathan (v.45). Those narratives also involve curses that people tried to redirect or nullify. Rebekah's act fits a pattern in Scripture where human schemes, even sinful ones, do not derail God's sovereign purposes.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Genesis 27:13. The reading is stable across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient translations, including the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Septuagint. The variations in English translations (WEB, KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT, Darby, Douay) all reflect the same Hebrew text, differing only in phrasing and style.
Reception History
Reception of this verse has focused on the tension between faith and deception. Jewish interpretation, represented by the Targum of Onkelos, softens Rebekah's words by reading 'prophecy' into her confidence, she knew curses would not fall. Christian Reformers like Calvin and Matthew Henry stressed the sinfulness of her method while affirming her faith. The Cambridge Bible (1880) drew a direct comparison to Lady Macbeth, noting how 'absorbed in her plan' Rebekah would not consider consequences. In the broader tradition, this verse is often cited in discussions of ethical dilemmas: does a good end ever justify wrong means? Most Christian ethicists answer no, pointing to this narrative as a cautionary example. Rebekah's offer to bear a curse has also been read typologically, a mother taking punishment for her child, though this is not a dominant interpretation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Faith that believes the promise. Rebekah's trust in the oracle (Gen 25:23) drove her actions. She was convinced that God's plan for Jacob was certain, even if the immediate circumstances seemed to oppose it.
- Faith that resorts to deception. Her zeal outran God's instructions. She did not wait on the Lord; she schemed. Her willingness to bear the curse did not make the lying right. The Bible records the deed without commending it.
- Faith that rests in God's sovereignty. Despite human sin, God's purposes advance. Jacob receives the blessing, and the covenant line continues. God works through flawed people, but he does not excuse their shortcuts.
Five-point outline
- The oracle and the family conflict (Gen 25:23; 27:1, 4).
- Rebekah's command: a mother's intervention (27:5, 10).
- Jacob's fear and the curse (27:11, 12).
- Rebekah's counter-offer: 'upon me be your curse' (27:13).
- The deception carried out and its aftermath (27:14, 17; 27:41, 45).
Illustration hooks
- A parent takes responsibility for a teenager's serious mistake, absorbing the legal or financial cost, because they believe in their child's future despite their current bad choices.
- An employee, convinced of a company's mission, bends the rules to secure a big contract, only to bring scrutiny on themselves. The tension between sincere conviction and integrity is felt by everyone.
- A sports fan who is so sure their team will win that they bet their own money on it, but then tries to influence the game illegally. Faith in the outcome does not justify unethical means.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God promised Jacob the blessing, why did Rebekah feel she had to help God fulfil it? Where do we do the same, try to 'help God' with shortcuts?
- When is it right to put ourselves between someone we love and the consequences they deserve? Is Rebekah's offer heroic or foolish?
- How do we read this story without concluding that 'the end justifies the means'? What keeps us from that error?
Leading a Discussion
Rebekah's words in Genesis 27:13 are bold, loving, and alarming. She is so sure of God's purpose for Jacob that she offers to absorb a curse meant for him. But in doing so, she directs her son to lie to his father. This small-group guide helps members wrestle with the tension between trusting God's promises and the temptation to secure them through human effort.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 27:5, 13. What does Rebekah's plan tell you about her view of God's promise? What does it tell you about her view of Isaac?
- Jacob objects that he might be discovered and cursed. How does Rebekah respond? What does her offer, 'upon me be your curse', reveal about her confidence or her desperation?
- Why do you think Rebekah did not pray or wait for God to act? In what situations are you tempted to 'help' God fulfil his promises rather than walk in obedience?
- Compare Rebekah's willingness to bear a curse with Judah's later statement in Genesis 43:9. How are these two moments similar? How are they different?
- The Hebrew word for 'only' (אַךְ / akh, H0389) can mean 'surely' or 'only.' How does Rebekah's use of the word shape the tone of her command? Is she reassuring Jacob, or pressuring him?
- What does this passage teach about the relationship between faith and obedience? Is it possible to have faith in God's plan but still sin in carrying it out? Defend your answer from the text.
- If you were counselling a Christian who believed God had called them to a certain outcome but were tempted to use dishonest means to get there, what would you say based on this story?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 25:23 | Yahweh said to her, “Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.” |
| Genesis 25:33 | Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. |
| Genesis 27:8 | Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. |
| Genesis 43:9 | I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever; |
| I Samuel 14:24 | The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. |
| I Samuel 14:28 | Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’” So the people were faint. |
| I Samuel 14:36 | Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light. Let’s not leave a man of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let’s draw near here to God.” |
| I Samuel 14:45 | The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, so he didn’t die. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that the Bible records Rebekah's offer to take the curse upon herself as fact, not as a model to follow. He warns that the sacred writer never recommends copying such conduct, even when describing it truthfully. The comment highlights the distinction between biblical narrative and divine endorsement.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees Rebekah's sin in acting on her zeal without a divine command, yet he notes her motive was not fleshly but a misplaced reverence for God's secret election. The lesson for believers is to walk cautiously within their calling and never go beyond what the Lord's word allows.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes that Rebekah's willingness to take the curse upon herself shows how fully absorbed she is in her plan. She will not waste time considering negative consequences. The commentator draws a comparison between Rebekah and Lady Macbeth in this scene.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible highlights Rebekah’s bold declaration that she alone will bear the consequences of Jacob’s deception. Her words shift responsibility from her son to herself, urging him to act while she accepts any resulting curse. This reading emphasizes her decisive role in securing the blessing despite the moral cost.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes Rebekah's unwavering confidence in the divine oracle, which assured her Jacob would receive the blessing. She boldly offers to bear any curse herself, showing her strong faith and determination to encourage Jacob despite his fears. The Targum of Onkelos indicates she had prophetic
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws attention to the specific, practical details of Rebekah’s scheme: a kid’s flesh made into a seasoned ragout, goatskin tied to Jacob’s hands and neck, and the firstborn’s long white robe stored with perfumes. These items, he notes, would plausibly fool Isaac’s blunted senses.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange presents the deception as a clash between two flawed human plans: Isaac's secret attempt to bless Esau against God's revealed choice, and Rebekah's dishonest effort to secure the blessing for Jacob. Both parents act from a lack of faith, yet God overrules their sins to accomplish His purpose. Jacob's compliance shows he values the spiritual blessing, while Esau's response reveals his worldly focus.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry distinguishes sharply between Rebekah's goal and her method. Her aim matched God's oracle that the elder should serve the younger, but the means she used were deceptive and cannot be justified. A right intention does not make a wrong action right.