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41 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42 The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran. 44 Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away— 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”

46 Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”

28 Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which God gave to Abraham.”

Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

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