Isaac and Rebekah: Painful Family Problems

Genesis 25-28

Personal note: “God’s Story in God’s People” is our focus this year as we consider how God works in the lives of his people. The main takeaways are what we learn about God, what we learn about ourselves, how we can know God, and how we can walk with him. We considered Genesis, section by section, in our devotional series last year, and that study is available on our YouTube channel (see below). 

It sometimes surprises me how much Scripture reveals about the significant family issues Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the patriarchs of the people through whom God would send his Son—faced. We have seen how Abraham and Sarah's family dynamics were altered and the challenges that arose when Hagar and Ishmael entered their household. We will also read about many difficult and often distressing circumstances that created emotional upheaval and tension among Jacob, Leah, Rachel, and their twelve sons. Today, let’s consider the home life of Isaac, Rebekah, and their sons. 

Like Sarah, Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, struggled to conceive. God repeated to Isaac the promise given to Abraham that his offspring would be as numerous “as the stars of heaven” and that “all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” through his descendants (Gen. 26:4-5). Yet twenty years into their marriage, Rebekah remained childless (Gen. 25:21). Finally, she conceived, but the pregnancy was extremely difficult. When she asked God, “Why is this happening to me?” (Gen. 25:22), the Lord explained, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:23). 

When the twins arrived, Esau was born first, with Jacob grasping his heel. The moment was captured in his name, meaning “heel grabber.” It also carries a connotation of deceit and becomes a character flaw that affects Jacob throughout much of his life. 

Early on, Isaac and Rebekah each made serious parenting mistakes. Esau, a skillful hunter who loved the outdoors, was favored by Isaac, while Rebekah preferred Jacob, a reflective homebody (Gen. 25:27-28). The tension between the brothers escalated when Jacob traded a bowl of his homemade stew for Esau’s birthright (Gen. 25:29-34). In my view, both brothers were at fault. The “heel grabber” took advantage of Esau’s unbridled impulsiveness. Neither trait served them well. We also learn that when Esau was forty, he married two Hittite women, which made “life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah” (Gen. 26:35). 

Years passed, and as Isaac grew older, he lost his eyesight (Gen. 27:1). Thinking his death was near, he decided it was time to bless his oldest son, but first he asked for a favor. Isaac asked Esau to hunt wild game and prepare his favorite dishes. He then promised to give Esau the customary patriarchal blessing (Gen. 27:3-4). 

Rebekah overheard Isaac and Esau’s conversation and devised a deceitful plan. She prepared Isaac’s favorite dish, dressed Jacob in his brother’s clothing, and covered his arms and neck with the skins of a young goat so that when Isaac touched him, he would feel hairy like Esau. Jacob then entered Isaac’s tent with the prepared meal to receive the blessing, telling his father he was Esau.

Although blind, Isaac questioned why the voice sounded like Jacob’s and how the game had been hunted and prepared so quickly. He asked point-blank, “Are you really my son Esau?” (Gen. 27:24). Jacob didn’t hesitate. He replied, “I am.” Isaac ate the food, drank the wine, and, for final confirmation, smelled Esau’s garments that Jacob was wearing. Fully convinced this was Esau, he gave Jacob the blessing of the firstborn (Gen. 27:27-29). 

Jacob was barely away from Isaac’s bedside when Esau arrived with the wild game prepared just as his father liked it. When Isaac learned he had been tricked into giving the irrevocable blessing to the wrong son, his body shook. The Hebrew text says Isaac “trembled with great trembling to excess.” Esau begged his father for the blessing, but it was too late. Here is the only “blessing” Isaac could give. 

Genesis 27:39-40
Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck. 

Esau and his descendants, the Edomites, would not enjoy the bountiful riches of the promised land. They would be a warring and restless people. As you can imagine, Esau was furious. He condemned Jacob for first cheating him out of his birthright and then his rightful blessing. He vowed to kill his brother after their father died (Gen. 27:36, 41).

Word spread that Esau intended to kill Jacob, so Rebekah acted hastily. Genesis 27:46 records her complaint to Isaac that Esau’s Hittite wives made her life miserable; therefore, they couldn’t risk Jacob marrying a Hittite woman as well. With Isaac’s approval, Jacob was sent to Rebekah’s brother in Haran. Scripture notes that Esau continued to marry foreign wives to spite his parents (Gen. 28:6-9). 

Rebekah and Jacob got what they wanted through blatant lies and deception, even though God had already promised that the older son would serve the younger. They took matters into their own hands on their own timetable. It’s true that God still worked through their sinful actions, and it’s also true that sin always has consequences (Num. 32:23; Gal. 6:7). Both lost much in their scheming. Jacob, who preferred to stay among the tents, became a fugitive running for his life, with no assurance he would ever enjoy the blessing he had stolen. He would soon be tricked by his uncle, and that pattern would recur throughout Israel’s history. 

I can imagine Rebekah and Jacob sharing a hurried yet emotional embrace as they said goodbye before Jacob set out on his long journey. They couldn’t have known then that they would never see each other again. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD

Reading and reflection: Genesis 25-28. Where are you tempted to “help God out” instead of trusting his promises and timing?

Talking to God: Ask God to help you trust him even when it is hard. 

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SAVE THE DATE: Bible Immersion trip to Israel: November 4-14, 2026.