Genesis 25:28
in Genesis 25Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: and Rebekah loved Jacob.
KJV
And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
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This verse in Genesis 25
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Ambrose of MilanOn Jacob and the Blessed Life, Book 2, Chapter II, Section 5 · Written before 397.
However, even parents should not be excused for abandoning us, because they have preferred a younger son to an older one. At the same time, care must be taken that no one, while following their example, has an unfair judgment between their children; so that they think one should be loved, the other should be disregarded. For from this fraternal hatred is aroused, and a crime of parricide is made from the despicable gain of money. The same measure of piety should nourish offspring.
This site's exposition
Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field
on Genesis 25:27-28
The boys grow into opposite men, Esau a hunter in the field while Jacob stays quiet at home, and the household divides along that line. Isaac loves Esau for one stated reason, a taste for wild game, and Genesis gives no reason for Rebekah loving Jacob. That taste carries the deception of chapter 27.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
And Isaac loved Esau - Isaac though he was not a stirring man himself, yet he loved to have his son active. Esau knew how to please him, and shewed a great respect for him, by treating him often with venison, which won upon him more than one would have thought.
33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. We have here a bargain made between Jacob and Esau about the birthright, which was Esau's by providence but Jacob's by promise.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:47w-of-71
And Isaac loved Esau - Isaac though he was not a stirring man himself, yet he loved to have his son active. Esau knew how to please him, and shewed a great respect for him, by treating him often with venison, which won upon him more than one would have thought.
And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Isaac loved Esau - but Rebekah loved Jacob - This is an early proof of unwarrantable parental attachment to one child in preference to another. Isaac loved Esau, and Rebekah loved Jacob; and in consequence of this the interests of the family were divided, and the house set in opposition to itself. The fruits of this unreasonable and foolish attachment were afterwards seen in a long catalogue of both natural and moral evils among the descendants of both families.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב | vaiyeehav | and he loved | H157 → | 211 times |
| יִצְחָ֛ק | yitzchak | Isaac | H3327 → | 108 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֵשָׂ֖ו | ʾesav | Esau | H6215 → | 97 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| צַ֣יִד | tzayid | wild game | H6718 → | 19 times |
| בְּפִ֑יו | befiv | [was] in mouth his | H6310 → | 498 times |
| וְרִבְקָ֖ה | verivkah | and Rebekah | H7259 → | 30 times |
| אֹהֶ֥בֶת | ʾohevet | [was] loving | H157 → | 211 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יַעֲקֹֽב׃ | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
וַיֶּאֱהַ֥בand he loved
vaiyeehavH157 →211 times
יִצְחָ֛קIsaac
yitzchakH3327 →108 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֵשָׂ֖וEsau
ʾesavH6215 →97 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
צַ֣יִדwild game
tzayidH6718 →19 times
בְּפִ֑יו[was] in mouth his
befivH6310 →498 times
וְרִבְקָ֖הand Rebekah
verivkahH7259 →30 times
אֹהֶ֥בֶת[was] loving
ʾohevetH157 →211 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יַעֲקֹֽב׃Jacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 27:4Then prepare a tasty dish that I love and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.”
it leads to
- Hebrews 11:20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.
- Genesis 48:9
Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”
- Genesis 27:25
“Serve me,” said Isaac, “and let me eat some of my son’s game, so that I may bless you.” Jacob brought it to him, and he ate; then he brought him wine, and he…
- Genesis 49:28
These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.
- Luke 24:51
While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
- Hebrews 11:20
Through
Genesis 27:25“Serve me,” said Isaac, “and let me eat some of my son’s game, so that I may bless you.” Jacob brought it to him, and he ate; then he brought him wine, and he…
it leads to
- Genesis 27:4
Then prepare a tasty dish that I love and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 27:4
Through
Genesis 27:19Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may bless me.”
it leads to
- Matthew 26:70–74
But he denied it before them all: “I do not know what you are talking about.”
- Isaiah 28:15
For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our…
- Matthew 26:70–74
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
4 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsRebekahIsaac's bride, drawn from Abraham's kindred by providence (ch. 24); mother of the twins, who receives the oracle “the elder shall…
- PersonPatriarchsEsauIsaac's elder son who despised his birthright (Heb 12:16); father of Edom, Israel's perennial neighbor and adversary.
- PersonPatriarchsIsaacThe son of promise and of laughter — bound on Moriah, the quiet inheritor of the covenant.
- PersonPatriarchsJacobThe heel-grasping supplanter reshaped at Peniel into 'Israel, he who strives with God' — father of the twelve tribes.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Jacob and the Blessed Life, Book 2, Chapter II, Section 5; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.