The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Rebekah's question, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" isn't just about the physical discomfort of her pregnancy. It reveals a deeper confusion: why would God, who granted her desire for a child, now subject her to such violent turmoil, possibly even threatening her life or the lives of her unborn children?
The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Rebekah, Isaac's wife, is pregnant with twins and experiences a violent struggle between them within her womb. Troubled and fearful, she questions why this is happening to her and seeks divine guidance to understand the significance of this unusual event. This intense physical struggle foreshadows the deep and lasting conflict that will exist between her twin sons, Esau and Jacob, and their descendants.
Rebekah felt a struggle within her womb. It wasn't just a physical discomfort; it was a sign of something much bigger at play.
The intense struggle Rebekah experienced wasn't random. It was a powerful, pre-birth indicator of the deep division and ongoing conflict that would exist between her sons, Esau and Jacob, and their descendants.
A Mirror of Future Conflict
This physical turmoil served as a vivid foreshadowing. The very children meant to carry on God's promise were locked in battle before they even saw the light of day. This wasn't a minor inconvenience; it was a profound sign pointing to the tension between two distinct peoples who would emerge from Rebekah's womb.
More Than Just Twins
This internal struggle wasn't just about two babies jostling for space. It reflected a spiritual reality: the ongoing battle between those who would follow God's covenant path and those who would not. It’s a reminder that even within families, and even before birth, God is at work, ordaining purposes that often involve struggle and division.
When faced with confusing and painful circumstances, Rebekah didn't just give in to despair. She turned her distress into a question directed towards God.
Rebekah's exclamation, 'If it be so, why am I thus?', isn't a simple complaint, but a profound expression of bewilderment and a plea for understanding. She was facing a situation so unusual and distressing that it demanded an answer from the ultimate source.
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The Nature of Her Question
Her words likely reflect a mix of emotions: shock at the violent struggle within her, fear for her own life and the lives of her children, and perhaps a questioning of why God would allow such a difficult pregnancy. She wasn't necessarily questioning God's goodness, but rather seeking to understand the 'why' behind her suffering and this extraordinary circumstance.
Turning to the Lord
Crucially, Rebekah's response to this confusion was not to withdraw or to find human comfort alone. The text says, 'So she went to inquire of the LORD.' This highlights a vital principle: when we are perplexed, in pain, or facing the inexplicable, the first and most important step is to seek God's wisdom and guidance. Her journey to inquire of the Lord shows faith in God's ability and willingness to reveal His purposes, even in the midst of difficult situations.
Understand the original words
ratsats · Hebrew Verb
The act of pushing, crushing, or struggling; in this context, it refers to the intense, violent conflict occurring within the womb, signaling the future discord between the nations of Israel and Edom.
darash · Hebrew Verb
To seek counsel, direction, or revelation from God, often through a prophet or direct divine inquiry, acknowledging God as the ultimate source of truth and guidance.
Rebekah's distress and her inquiry of the LORD highlight the ancient belief that even prenatal struggles could be divine signs, carrying significant prophetic weight for the future of nations.
c. 1898 BC
Abraham marries Keturah
Abraham takes Keturah as a wife after Sarah's death, and they have six sons. This signifies a continuation of Abraham's lineage and legacy, though distinct from the promised line through Isaac.
c. 1885 BC
Abraham dies
Abraham dies at 175 years old. His sons Isaac and Ishmael bury him, indicating a continued, albeit complex, relationship between the two branches of the family.
c. 1860 BC
Isaac and Rebekah marry
Isaac, now 40 years old, marries Rebekah, who is from his father's homeland of Padan-aram. She is initially barren, mirroring Sarah's experience.
c. 1840 BC
Isaac prays for Rebekah's conception
After twenty years of barrenness, Isaac prays for his wife Rebekah, and the LORD answers, granting her conception.
c. 1840 BC— this verse
Rebekah's difficult pregnancy
Rebekah experiences violent struggles within her womb, causing her distress and prompting her to seek understanding from the LORD.
c. 1839 BC
Birth of Esau and Jacob
Rebekah gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob, fulfilling the prophecy that two nations would come from her womb, with the elder serving the younger.
This passage speaks of God's sovereign choice, stating 'for though the twins were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call—it was said to her, 'The older will serve the younger.'' This directly echoes the divine decree given to Rebekah about her sons, highlighting God's foreknowledge and plan from before their birth.
Galatians 4:29Paul uses the struggle between Jacob and Esau in the womb as an allegory for the conflict between those born according to the Spirit (like Isaac and Jacob) and those born according to the flesh (like Ishmael and Esau). This shows how this ancient event was understood to represent a spiritual battle that continues today.
1 Samuel 1:5Hannah's cry of anguish over her barrenness and her subsequent prayer to the Lord for a child, much like Rebekah's distress and inquiry, demonstrates a pattern of fervent seeking of God in times of deep personal trial and longing.
Luke 1:41This verse describes John the Baptist leaping in Elizabeth's womb when Mary, carrying Jesus, visited her. This pre-natal recognition and interaction between two unborn children mirrors the 'struggling' of Rebekah's twins, suggesting a spiritual dimension to their conception and future destinies.
Jeremiah 1:5The prophet Jeremiah was told by God, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.' This echoes the divine understanding and purpose for Rebekah's children, indicating that their struggles were part of a preordained plan.
clarkeGenesis 25:22: "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD."
The children struggled together - יתרצצו yithrotsatsu, they dashed against or bruised each other, there was a violent agitation, so that the mother was apprehensive both of her own and her children's safety; and, supposing this was an uncommon case, she went to inquire of the Lord, as the good women in the present day would go to consult a surgeon or p…
calvinGenesis 25:1-34: "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah."
And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
Et Iocsan genuit Seba, et Dedan. Filii autem Dedan fuerunt Assurim, et Letusim, et Leummin.
And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
Filii vero Midian, Hephah, et Hepher, et Hanoch, et Abidah, et Eldaah: omnes isti, filii Ceturae.…
Rebekah's question, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" isn't just about the physical discomfort of her pregnancy. It reveals a deeper confusion: why would God, who granted her desire for a child, now subject her to such violent turmoil, possibly even threatening her life or the lives of her unborn children?
Rebekah, Isaac's wife, is pregnant with twins and experiences a violent struggle between them within her womb. Troubled and fearful, she questions why this is happening to her and seeks divine guidance to understand the significance of this unusual event. This intense physical struggle foreshadows the deep and lasting conflict that will exist between her twin sons, Esau and Jacob, and their descendants.
Rebekah, Isaac's wife, is pregnant with twins and experiences a violent struggle between them within her womb. Troubled and fearful, she questions why this is happening to her and seeks divine guidance to understand the significance of this unusual event. This intense physical struggle foreshadows the deep and lasting conflict that will exist between her twin sons, Esau and Jacob, and their descendants.
"The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD." — Rebekah's question, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" isn't just about the physical discomfort of her pregnancy. It reveals a deeper confusion: why would God, who granted her desire for a…
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Last reviewed October 2026