Genesis 27:15
in Genesis 27And Rebekah took the finest clothes in the house that belonged to her older son Esau, and she put them on her younger son Jacob.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Rebekah took the goodly garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son;
KJV
And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
⋯
This verse in Genesis 27
Commentary
8 notes on this verseGoodly raiment - Mr. Ainsworth has a sensible note on this place. “The priest in the law had holy garments to minister in, Exo 28:2-4, which the Septuagint there and in this place term την στολην, The robe, and στολην ἁγιαν, the holy robe. Whether the first-born, before the law, had such to minister in is not certain, but it is probable by this example; for had they been common garments, why did not Esau himself, or his wives, keep them?
This site's exposition
made the tasty food his father loved
on Genesis 27:14-17
Rebekah dresses the deception in three pieces: the goat meat, Esau's finest clothes, and goatskins on Jacob's hands and neck. A garment and a young goat come back on Jacob twice. His sons dip Joseph's robe in goat blood and carry it to him at 37:31. Judah is taken in by a change of clothes and owes a young goat at 38:14 to 23.
This site's exposition
the finest clothes in the house
The clothes are kept in the house though Esau is a married man, and Adam Clarke, quoting Ainsworth, asked why. Ainsworth thought they might be robes the firstborn wore to minister, as priests later wore holy garments in Exodus 28. He notes the Septuagint uses the word robe in both places.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
The fact that Jacob wears the robe signifies that the Word has been clothed by the flesh, while the skins of the kids wrapped around his arms show that he has received in himself all our sins by stretching his hands and arms on the cross, as Isaiah himself has said: "He has borne our sins and carried our diseases."
(Verse 15) And Rebecca took the garments of her elder son Esau, which were greatly desired by him at home. And in this place, the Hebrews tradition holds that the firstborns, who had fulfilled the duties of the priests, had a priestly garment, which they wore to offer sacrifices to God before Aaron was chosen for the priesthood.
Notice here, I ask you, along with Rebekah's affection, her great wisdom as well. Since it was mentioned previously that one was hairy and the other smooth-skinned, she clad him in Esau's clothing, the text says, and covered his skin, disguising him all over so as to bring off the deception. And after putting the food and bread into Jacob's hands she had him take it to his father.Consider here again, I ask you, how it was all due to grace from above. I mean, whereas we contribute our utmost, we enjoy in generous measure as well cooperation from God. You see, in case we show indifference and prove recalcitrant, he wants us also to make an effort so that in this way our contribution may be demonstrated. It is neither the case that everything is due to help from on high (rather we, too, must contribute something), nor on the other hand does he require everything of us, knowing as he does the extra-ordinary degree of our limitations. On the contrary, out of fidelity to his characteristic love and wishing to find some occasion for demonstrating his own generosity, he awaits the contribution of what we have to offer.
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanOn Jacob and the Blessed Life, Book 2, Chapter 2, Section 9 · Written before 397.
proposed
Accordingly Jacob received his brother's clothing, because he excelled the elder in wisdom. Thus the younger brother took the clothing of the elder because he was conspicuous in the merit of his faith. Rebekah presented this clothing as a symbol of the church; she gave to the younger son the clothing of the Old Testament, the prophetic and priestly clothing, the royal Davidic clothing, the clothing of the kings Solomon and Hezekiah and Josiah.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Rebekah took goodly garments of her eldest son Esau,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
The reason why Scripture mentions this is to accentuate the unusual action of the righteous one, 210 Rebekah. for parents customarily give recognition to the firstborn in blessing, honor, and gift, 211 See Ramban above,:34.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Rivkah also covered Yaakov’s throat and arms with the skins from the goats so that Yitzchok would think that Esau was indeed standing before him.
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
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתִּקַּ֣ח | vatikach | and she took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| רִ֠בְקָה | rivkah | Rebekah | H7259 → | 30 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בִּגְדֵ֨י | bigdei | [the] clothes of | H899 → | 217 times |
| עֵשָׂ֜ו | ʾesav | Esau | H6215 → | 97 times |
| בְּנָ֤הּ | benah | son her | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַגָּדֹל֙ | hagadol | <the> old | H1419 → | 526 times |
| הַחֲמֻדֹ֔ת | hachamudot | the desirableness<es> | H2532 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִתָּ֖הּ | ʾitah | [were] with her | H854 → | 929 times |
| בַּבָּ֑יִת | babayit | in the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וַתַּלְבֵּ֥שׁ | vatalbesh | and she clothed | H3847 → | 110 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֖ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| בְּנָ֥הּ | benah | son her | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַקָּטָֽן׃ | hakatan | <the> young | H6996 → | 101 times |
וַתִּקַּ֣חand she took
vatikachH3947 →966 times
רִ֠בְקָהRebekah
rivkahH7259 →30 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בִּגְדֵ֨י[the] clothes of
bigdeiH899 →217 times
עֵשָׂ֜וEsau
ʾesavH6215 →97 times
בְּנָ֤הּson her
benahH1121 →4930 times
הַגָּדֹל֙<the> old
hagadolH1419 →526 times
הַחֲמֻדֹ֔תthe desirableness<es>
hachamudotH2532 →
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אִתָּ֖הּ[were] with her
ʾitahH854 →929 times
בַּבָּ֑יִתin the house
babayitH1004 →2046 times
וַתַּלְבֵּ֥שׁand she clothed
vatalbeshH3847 →110 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יַעֲקֹ֖בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
בְּנָ֥הּson her
benahH1121 →4930 times
הַקָּטָֽן׃<the> young
hakatanH6996 →101 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 27:27So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has…
it leads to
- Hebrews 6:7
For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
- Psalms 65:10
You soak its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth.
- Hebrews 6:7
Through
Luke 15:22But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
it leads to
- Genesis 41:42
Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.
- Esther 8:2
The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.
- Revelation 6:11
Then each of them was given a white robe and told to rest a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed, just as they had been…
- Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom…
- Esther 3:10
So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
- Genesis 41:42
Through
Luke 20:46“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.
it leads to
- Mark 12:38–39
In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,
- Mark 12:38–39
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
3 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.
- 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 2, Section 9; Hippolytus of Rome, ON THE BLESSINGS OF ISAAC AND JACOB 6; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 53.6-7; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.