Genesis 27:13
in Genesis 27His mother replied, “Your curse be on me, my son. Just obey my voice and go get them for me.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son; only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
KJV
And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
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This verse in Genesis 27
Commentary
6 notes on this verseUpon me be thy curse, my son - Onkelos gives this a curious turn: It has been revealed to me by prophecy that the curses will not come upon thee, my son. What a dreadful responsibility did this woman take upon her at this time! The sacred writer states the facts as they were, and we may depend on the truth of the statement; but he nowhere says that God would have any man to copy this conduct. He often relates facts and sayings which he never recommends.
This site's exposition
my brother Esau is a hairy man
on Genesis 27:11-13
Jacob's objection is that his father may touch him and find him out. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown mark the scruple as fear of discovery. Rebekah answers by taking the curse on herself, Your curse be on me, my son. Jerome ties the word behind hairy to Seir, which becomes the name of Esau's country.
This site's exposition
Your curse be on me, my son
The Targum of Onkelos, as Adam Clarke reports it, turns her words into a prophecy that no curse would reach Jacob. Clarke himself saw a dreadful weight taken on by a mother. Matthew Henry heard in the words a picture of Christ, who bore the curse of the law for those who obey His voice.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
We can see that the words spoken by Rebekah a long time ago have now been fulfilled in the church. The words "Let your curse be on me, my son" show that now certain people offend the church by their blasphemies, because she worships the Crucified, and for that reason they throw curses and contempt at us. In fact, the passion of the Lord is held to be a curse for the unbelievers, whereas his life is peace for those who believe. The apostle says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Christ indeed, who is mighty to save, because mighty to bear, has said, Upon me be the curse, only obey my voice; he has borne the burden of the curse, the curse of the law, for all those that will take upon them the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel.
And his mother said unto him, upon me be thy curse, my son,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Don’t be afraid that your father might curse you. If he does, the curse will be upon me, not on you.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The reason that Isaac will feel him is not for the purpose of recognition.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֤אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לוֹ֙ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| אִמּ֔וֹ | ʾimo | mother his | H517 → | 220 times |
| עָלַ֥י | ʾalai | [be] on me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| קִלְלָתְךָ֖ | kilatecha | curse your | H7045 → | |
| בְּנִ֑י | beni | O son my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אַ֛ךְ | ʾakh | only | H389 → | 161 times |
| שְׁמַ֥ע | shema' | listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בְּקֹלִ֖י | bekoli | to voice my | H6963 → | 506 times |
| וְלֵ֥ךְ | velekh | and go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| קַֽח־ | kach- | fetch [them] | H3947 → | 966 times |
| לִֽי׃ | li | for <the> me |
וַתֹּ֤אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
לוֹ֙to <the> him
lo
אִמּ֔וֹmother his
ʾimoH517 →220 times
עָלַ֥י[be] on me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 times
קִלְלָתְךָ֖curse your
kilatechaH7045 →
בְּנִ֑יO son my
beniH1121 →4930 times
אַ֛ךְonly
ʾakhH389 →161 times
שְׁמַ֥עlisten
shema'H8085 →1159 times
בְּקֹלִ֖יto voice my
bekoliH6963 →506 times
וְלֵ֥ךְand go
velekhH1980 →1546 times
קַֽח־fetch [them]
kach-H3947 →966 times
לִֽי׃for <the> me
li
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 25:23and 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…
it leads to
- Romans 9:10–13
Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.
- Genesis 27:40
You shall live by the sword and serve your brother. But when you rebel, you will tear his yoke from your neck.”
- Genesis 27:29
May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you…
- 2 Samuel 8:14
He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
- Malachi 1:2–5
“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved,
- Romans 9:10–13
Through
Matthew 27:25All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
it leads to
- Joshua 2:19
If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with…
- Acts 5:28
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
- Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
- Joshua 2:19
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Hippolytus of Rome, ON THE BLESSINGS OF ISAAC AND JACOB 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.