Genesis 27:6
New International Version
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau,

New Living Translation
she said to her son Jacob, “Listen. I overheard your father say to Esau,

English Standard Version
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau,

Berean Standard Bible
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I overheard your father saying to your brother Esau,

King James Bible
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

New King James Version
So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

New American Standard Bible
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying,

NASB 1995
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying,

NASB 1977
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
But Rebekah spoke to her son Jacob, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speaking to your brother Esau, saying,

Amplified Bible
Rebekah said to Jacob her [younger and favorite] son, “Listen carefully: I heard your father saying to Esau your brother,

Christian Standard Bible
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Listen! I heard your father talking with your brother Esau. He said,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Listen! I heard your father talking with your brother Esau. He said,

American Standard Version
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

Contemporary English Version
she said to Jacob, "I heard your father tell Esau

English Revised Version
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "I've just heard your father speaking to your brother Esau.

Good News Translation
she said to Jacob, "I have just heard your father say to Esau,

International Standard Version
Rebekah gave these instructions to her son Jacob: "Quick! Pay attention!" she said. "I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He told him,

Majority Standard Bible
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I overheard your father saying to your brother Esau,

NET Bible
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau,

New Heart English Bible
And Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Look, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
And Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak to Esau thy brother, saying,

World English Bible
Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Rebekah has spoken to her son Jacob, saying, “Behold, I have heard your father speaking to your brother Esau, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
and Rebekah hath spoken unto Jacob her son, saying, 'Lo, I have heard thy father speaking unto Esau thy brother, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Rebekah spake to Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speaking to Esau thy brother, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
She said to her son Jacob: I heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother, and saying to him:

Catholic Public Domain Version
she said to her son Jacob: “I heard your father speaking with your brother Esau, and saying to him,

New American Bible
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Listen! I heard your father tell your brother Esau,

New Revised Standard Version
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father say to your brother Esau,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then Rebekah said to Jacob her son, Behold, I heard your father say to Esau your brother,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Raphqa said to Yaquuv her son, “Behold, I heard your father, saying to Esau your brother,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son, saying: 'Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Rebecca said to Jacob her younger son, Behold, I heard thy father speaking to Esau thy brother, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob's Deception
5Now Rebekah was listening to what Isaac told his son Esau. So when Esau went into the field to hunt game and bring it back, 6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I overheard your father saying to your brother Esau, 7‘Bring me some game and prepare me a tasty dish to eat, so that I may bless you in the presence of the LORD before I die.’…

Cross References
Genesis 25:28
Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Genesis 25:23
and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

Genesis 26:34-35
When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. / And they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

Genesis 27:13-14
His mother replied, “Your curse be on me, my son. Just obey my voice and go get them for me.” / So Jacob went and got two goats and brought them to his mother, who made the tasty food his father loved.

Genesis 27:41
Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Genesis 29:25
When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”

Genesis 30:15
But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son’s mandrakes as well?” “Very well,” said Rachel, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”

Genesis 37:3-4
Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors. / When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Genesis 37:18-20
Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him. / “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. / “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”

Genesis 49:5-7
Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence. / May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For they kill men in their anger, and hamstring oxen on a whim. / Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.

Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 21:15-17
If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son, / when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife. / Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.

1 Samuel 2:22-25
Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. / “Why are you doing these things?” Eli said to his sons. “I hear about your wicked deeds from all these people. / No, my sons; it is not a good report I hear circulating among the LORD’s people. ...

1 Kings 1:11-14
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? / Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. / Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ...

Proverbs 1:8
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.


Treasury of Scripture

And Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

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Esau Heard Hearing Jacob Overheard Rebecca Rebekah Speak Speaking
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Esau Heard Hearing Jacob Overheard Rebecca Rebekah Speak Speaking
Genesis 27
1. Isaac sends Esau for venison.
6. Rebekah instructs Jacob to obtain the blessing.
14. Jacob, feigning to be Esau, obtains it.
30. Esau brings venison.
33. Isaac trembles.
34. Esau complains, and by importunity obtains a blessing.
41. He threatens Jacob's life.
42. Rebekah disappoints him, by sending Jacob away.














Rebekah said to her son Jacob
The phrase "Rebekah said to her son Jacob" introduces us to a pivotal moment in the narrative. Rebekah, whose name in Hebrew (רִבְקָה, Rivkah) can mean "to tie" or "to bind," plays a crucial role in the unfolding of God's covenantal promises. Her actions here are driven by a deep understanding of the prophecy given to her during her pregnancy (Genesis 25:23), where God revealed that "the older will serve the younger." This moment is a testament to her faith and determination to see God's will fulfilled, albeit through human manipulation. The relationship between Rebekah and Jacob is intimate and strategic, highlighting the maternal influence in the biblical narrative.

Behold
The word "Behold" (הִנֵּה, hinneh in Hebrew) is an imperative that calls for attention. It is often used in Scripture to draw the listener or reader into a moment of significance. Here, it underscores the urgency and importance of the information Rebekah is about to convey. This word serves as a narrative device to heighten the drama and focus the audience on the critical nature of the ensuing actions.

I overheard
The phrase "I overheard" suggests a sense of secrecy and eavesdropping. In the Hebrew context, the act of overhearing (שָׁמַע, shama) is not merely passive listening but an active engagement with the information received. Rebekah's eavesdropping is a catalyst for the subsequent deception, reflecting the complex interplay of human agency and divine sovereignty. It raises questions about the ethics of her actions and the lengths to which she goes to secure the blessing for Jacob.

your father
"Your father" refers to Isaac, the patriarch whose blessing is central to the covenantal promises. Isaac's role as a father is significant, as he is the conduit through which the Abrahamic blessing is to be passed. The familial dynamics at play here are fraught with tension, as Isaac's favoritism towards Esau contrasts with Rebekah's preference for Jacob. This phrase highlights the patriarchal structure of the family and the weight of paternal authority in the biblical narrative.

saying to your brother Esau
The phrase "saying to your brother Esau" sets the stage for the conflict between the two brothers. Esau, whose name in Hebrew (עֵשָׂו, Esav) is associated with being "hairy" or "rough," is the elder twin and Isaac's favored son. The mention of Esau here is a reminder of the sibling rivalry that has been brewing since their birth. This rivalry is not just a personal conflict but is emblematic of the larger struggle between nations and destinies, as foretold in the prophecy given to Rebekah. The phrase underscores the tension and impending drama as Rebekah seeks to alter the course of events in favor of Jacob.

Verses 6, 7. - And Rebekah (having already formed a plan for diverting the patriarchal blessing from Esau, whose habit of life and utterly unspiritual character may perhaps have recalled to her mind and confirmed the declaration of the oracle concerning Jacob's precedence) spake unto Jacob her son, - i.e. her favorite, in contrast to Esau, Isaac s son (ver. 5) - saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison (vide on ver. 3), and make me savory meat, that I may eat (literally, and I shall eat), and bless thee - the lengthened form of the future in this and the preceding verb (cf. וְאֹכֵלָה in ver. 4) is expressive of Isaac's self-excitement and emphatic determination - before the Lord. The word Jehovah, by modern criticism regarded as a sign of divided authorship, is satisfactorily explained by remembering that Rebekah is speaking not of the blessing of God's general providence, but of the higher benediction of the covenant (Hengstenberg). The phrase, though not included in Isaac's address to Esau, need not be regarded as due to Rebekah's invention. She may have understood it to be implied in her husband's language, though it was not expressed (cf. Genesis 14:20). That it was designedly omitted by Isaac in consequence of the worldly character of Esau appears as little likely as that it was deliberately inserted by Rebekah to whet her favorite's ambition (Kalisch). As to meaning, the sense may be that this patriarchal benediction was to be bestowed sincerely (Menochius), in presence and by the authority of God (Ainsworth, Bush, Clericus); but the use of the term Jehovah rather points to the idea that Rebekah regarded Isaac simply "as the instrument of the living and personal God, who directed the concerns of the chosen race (Hengstenberg). Before my death. Since Rebekah makes no remark as to the groundlessness of Isaac s fear, it is not improbable that she too shared in her bed-ridden husband's expectations that already he was "in the presence of" his end.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Rebekah
וְרִבְקָה֙ (wə·riḇ·qāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7259: Rebekah -- wife of Isaac

said
אָֽמְרָ֔ה (’ā·mə·rāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

her son
בְּנָ֖הּ (bə·nāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Jacob,
יַעֲקֹ֥ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

“Behold,
הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

I overheard
שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ (šā·ma‘·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

your father
אָבִ֔יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

saying
מְדַבֵּ֛ר (mə·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

your brother
אָחִ֖יךָ (’ā·ḥî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

Esau,
עֵשָׂ֥ו (‘ê·śāw)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6215: Esau -- oldest son of Isaac


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OT Law: Genesis 27:6 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son saying (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 27:5
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