Day 10: Rebekah

Genesis 27

- Isaac, nearing death, wants Esau to go bring him a tasty meal before he gives him his blessing. However, he has lost his sight.
- Rebekah overhears this and intends to have Jacob steal his brother's blessing.
- She prepares two young goats to make Isaac's favorite dish, dresses Jacob up in Esau's best clothes and covers Jacob's smooth skin with goat-skin so that he feels hairy like his brother.
- Jacob lies to Isaac about being his brother. He hears Jacob's voice but feels Esau's hairy hands and smells Esau's clothes.
- Esau is furious when he returns to find out his brother has stolen his blessing and will now lord over him. He contemplates killing Jacob.
- Rebekah finds out and sends Jacob off to her brother Laban to take refuge until Esau calms down.
- Rebekah also does not want Jacob to marry a Hittite.


I'm studying Chinese history and we've been looking at the end of the Qing dynasty with Empress Dowager Cixi. She wields the real power and controls the government, not the emperor. It seems that Rebekah is the scheming one, working to make her favorite son Jacob successful. However, the deception is quite great and it's interesting to see how God uses Jacob to bring forth the 12 tribes of Israel.