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Jacob sent away for protection

41 Esau was furious at Jacob because his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, When the period of mourning for the death of my father is over, I will kill my brother.

42 Rebekah was told what her older son Esau was planning, so she summoned her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Esau your brother is planning revenge. He plans to kill you. 43 So now, my son, listen to me: Get up and escape to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Live with him for a short while until your brother’s rage subsides, 45 until your brother’s anger at you goes away and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back from there. Why should I suffer the loss of both of you on one day?”

46 Rebekah then said to Isaac, “I really loathe these Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women, like the women of this land, why should I go on living?”

28 So Isaac summoned Jacob, blessed him, and gave him these orders: “Don’t marry a Canaanite woman. Get up and go to Paddan-aram, to the household of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and once there, marry one of the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. God Almighty[a] will bless you, make you fertile, and give you many descendants so that you will become a large group of peoples. He will give you and your descendants Abraham’s blessing so that you will own the land in which you are now immigrants, the land God gave to Abraham.” So Isaac sent Jacob off, and he traveled to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean and brother of Rebekah, Jacob and Esau’s mother.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:3 Heb El Shaddai or God of the Mountain

41 Esau held a grudge(A) against Jacob(B) because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning(C) for my father are near; then I will kill(D) my brother Jacob.”(E)

42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau(F) had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you.(G) 43 Now then, my son, do what I say:(H) Flee at once to my brother Laban(I) in Harran.(J) 44 Stay with him for a while(K) until your brother’s fury subsides. 45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him,(L) I’ll send word for you to come back from there.(M) Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite(N) women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land,(O) from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”(P)

28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed(Q) him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.(R) Go at once to Paddan Aram,[a](S) to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel.(T) Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.(U) May God Almighty[b](V) bless(W) you and make you fruitful(X) and increase your numbers(Y) until you become a community of peoples. May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham,(Z) so that you may take possession of the land(AA) where you now reside as a foreigner,(AB) the land God gave to Abraham.” Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way,(AC) and he went to Paddan Aram,(AD) to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean,(AE) the brother of Rebekah,(AF) who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:2 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verses 5, 6 and 7
  2. Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai