Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

Rebekah knew Esau would be angry when she and Jacob put the plan in place to defraud Isaac and Esau. None of this caught her by surprise. It was just common sense that alerted her that Jacob would have to dodge Esau for a little while, and let his anger subside. Would anyone really expect anything different? What was Esau supposed to do? Jacob had taken his shirt, was he expected to give him his cloak too (Matt 5:40)? 

The bible doesn't have to explain "how she found out he was so angry." It's called COMMON SENSE!

Also, a careful reading of the story tells us that Esau said he would kill Jacob to more than just himself. Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob." But the words of Esau her older son were TOLD TO Rebekah (Gen 27:41,42). 

We're not told who Esau confided in, but he let it get out. I don't think he could have kept a lid on it if he tried. These were wealthy people. Their lives were an open book. Everyone who knew them knew that Esau would get the bulk of the estate when Isaac passed away.

Imagine this: A famous person today has two sons. Let's say a congressman; and he has made it known to all that his oldest boy is to step into his shoes when he retires. It's also known to all that the two boys aren't the best of friends, that they've always competed with each other. If suddenly the younger son leap frogged ahead of the older son and took the lead in the family, we'd wonder how it happened. If there was something shady to it, it would be hard to conceal. Inquiry minds want to know! Someone would ask the oldest boy, "WHAT HAPPENED?" 

I don't think it would take much to get him to talk. I think it happened like that here. These are real people with real problems. The part that's shocking is how Esau says so cavalierly, "I will kill my brother Jacob"(Gen 27:42). 

I have two brothers, Bobby and James. I couldn't imagine those words ever being in my heart, much less imagine them coming from my mouth. I think you have to come from a dysfunctional family for any of that to make any kind of sense to you. It doesn't get much more dysfunctional than that! Imagine that; A dysfunctional wealthy family; It's like Solomon said: there's nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

December 18 2021 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Although the Bible does not specifically state it, multiple commentators conclude that, although Esau originally made his plans within the secrecy of his own heart (as noted in the text), he must not have kept his feelings and plans entirely to himself, but confided them to one or more other people, through whom Rebekah learned of them.

Alternatively, Esau's anger against Jacob was so freely expressed that, in my opinion, it would not have required supernatural intuition on Rebekah's part to surmise that Esau intended harm to Jacob.

In addition, one might also ask how the writer of Genesis (who recorded Esau's thoughts) knew of them. If it was by inspiration, perhaps Rebekah received the same insight from God, in the interest of protecting Jacob, through whom the Messiah was eventually to be descended.

Finally, there are other instances in Scripture of this same thing happening (that is, the thoughts of a person's heart being known or responded to, despite the fact that the person had said nothing aloud about them). In Genesis 8:21, God is recorded as saying something "in His heart" (although the writer of Genesis was apparently inspired with knowledge of it).

Also, in Genesis 24:45, Abraham's servant (whom Abraham had sent to find a wife for Isaac) says that he had been praying in his heart for the success of his mission when Rebekah (who would have been unaware of the servant's thoughts) appeared in response to the servant's prayer.

November 07 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report