Genesis 27:14-17 Meaning: When Obedience Pulls You into Deception
14He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.
15Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.
16She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck.
17She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
14And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
15And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
16And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
17And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
14And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved.
15And Rebekah took the goodly garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son;
16and she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
17and she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
14And he goeth, and taketh, and bringeth to his mother, and his mother maketh tasteful things, such as his father hath loved;
15and Rebekah taketh the desirable garments of Esau her elder son, which are with her in the house, and doth put on Jacob her younger son;
16and the skins of the kids of the goats she hath put on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck,
17and she giveth the tasteful things, and the bread which she hath made, into the hand of Jacob her son.
14And he went, and fetched and brought [them] to his mother. And his mother prepared a savoury dish such as his father loved.
15And Rebecca took the clothes of her elder son Esau, the costly ones which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son;
16and she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck;
17and she gave the savoury dishes and the bread that she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Jacob, who feared being a deceiver, carry out his mother’s plan to trick Isaac?
Context
Isaac has grown old and blind. He calls Esau, his firstborn son, and asks for a last meal of wild game, promising to give him the family blessing. Rebekah overhears. She knows God earlier told her that the older son would serve the younger. So she acts quickly. She tells Jacob to bring two young goats from the flock. She will cook them to taste like venison, and Jacob will pretend to be Esau. Jacob objects, afraid he will be caught and cursed. But Rebekah takes the blame. This short passage shows the plan put into action: Jacob fetches the kids, his mother prepares the meal, dresses him in Esau’s best clothes, and covers his smooth hands and neck with goat skins. Then she hands the food to her son. Everything is ready for the deception.
Key Words
Three details pull us into the scene. The savory food translates a Hebrew word for dainties or delicacies, food meant to please the senses, not just fill the stomach. Isaac’s appetite had become a weakness, and Rebekah knew exactly how to exploit it. The goodly raiment of Esau, the word implies clothes that are desirable, perhaps garments with priestly significance or the special festival wear of the firstborn. By putting them on Jacob, Rebekah wrapped him in his brother’s identity, hoping scent and touch would complete the disguise. And then the skins of the kids: a coarse, rough covering for Jacob’s smooth skin. In a hot climate, goat skins could mimic the hairiness of a man who lived outdoors. Each layer of the plan was a lie in material form, a reminder that deception often requires props, costumes, and a patient hand.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this scene with discomfort for centuries. John Calvin (Reformed) saw Jacob and Rebekah acting in genuine faith that God’s promise required them to act, yet also sinning by using falsehood to help God. The end did not justify the means. Matthew Henry (also Reformed) said the end was good, but the method was not to be imitated. Other interpreters, including some ancient Jewish sources, point out that Esau had married foreign women and neglected his birthright, so Rebekah may have felt she was correcting a disaster. The Cambridge Bible notes the clothes may have been priestly garments belonging to the firstborn. Across traditions, the passage is seen as a tangle of human trust in God’s word and human willingness to cross moral lines to see it fulfilled.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume Jacob was a passive victim in this scene, merely obeying his mother without responsibility. In fact, the Hebrew shows him actively participating: he goes, fetches, and brings the goats. Earlier he voiced fear of being a deceiver, the same word used for scoffers. Jacob knew what he was doing. He was not an innocent child; he was a grown man who chose to disobey his conscience because the promise of the blessing was too important to lose. The text does not excuse him.
Living This Out
This passage asks us to examine the line between trusting God’s promises and manipulating circumstances to get what we believe God wants. Rebekah and Jacob knew God’s word, the older would serve the younger, yet they could not wait for God to bring it about in His way. This week, pay attention to the little shortcuts you are tempted to take. A small exaggeration on a report. A half-truth to avoid conflict. A plan that uses other people as props, like goat skins and borrowed clothes. Ask yourself: Am I serving God’s purpose, or am I serving my impatience and fear? Trust God enough to obey His commands, even when His promises seem slow.
Main takeaway: A good end does not justify dishonest means; faith in God’s promises requires patience, not manipulation.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jacob’s mom wanted him to get a special blessing from his dad. But she told Jacob to pretend to be his brother. Jacob did what she said, even though he knew it was wrong. We should never pretend to be someone else to get what we want.
For ages 9, 12
Jacob was afraid that if his dad touched him, he would look like a liar. And he was right, because he was about to lie. His mom planned the whole thing, but Jacob still chose to go along with it. This story shows that even people who believe in God can make bad choices when they are scared or impatient. It’s a warning: following a good plan in a wrong way can still hurt everyone.
Questions People Ask
Why did Rebekah think deceiving Isaac was okay?
Rebekah knew God had said the older son would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23). She believed Isaac was about to bless the wrong son, so she acted. She probably saw her plan as protecting God’s will. But the Bible does not say she was right to lie.
Did Jacob sin by going along with the deception?
Yes, the text suggests he did. Earlier Jacob worried he would seem like a ‘deceiver’ (v.12), the same word used for scoffers. Many commentators like Calvin and Matthew Henry agree that Jacob sinned, even though God later used the event to fulfill His promise. Sin and God’s sovereignty can coexist.
Was Isaac’s blessing something that could be stolen?
In ancient culture, a father’s blessing carried real power and was considered irreversible once spoken. Isaac believed he was blessing the firstborn. But the blessing was not a magic spell; it was a spoken prophecy. God could have overruled the deception, but He allowed the blessing to stand because Jacob was His chosen line. The story shows human sin and divine purpose intertwined.
What do the goat skins symbolize?
Goat skins were used to make Jacob’s smooth skin feel hairy, like Esau’s. They are a physical symbol of the deception: a cover-up meant to trick Isaac. Later in Scripture, goats are also used in sacrifices and as symbols of sin-bearing (Leviticus 16). Some see a dark foreshadowing, Jacob’s lie would bring trouble into his own family for years.
Does this passage mean God approves of lying to get His will done?
No. The Bible never commends the deception. The story simply records what happened. Later in Genesis, Jacob suffers from being deceived himself by Laban. The New Testament teaches that we should not do evil that good may come (Romans 3:8). God works through flawed people, but He does not endorse their flaws.
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