Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran
English Standard Version (ESV)
Rebekah, the mother, is not just offering advice here; she's taking full responsibility for the deception, fulfilling her promise to bear any curse for Jacob's gain. She's urging him to flee not just for safety, but as a direct consequence of her own scheming.
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran
English Standard Version (ESV)
Rebekah, fearing for Jacob's life after Esau discovered he'd been tricked out of the patriarchal blessing, urges Jacob to flee to her brother Laban's home in Haran. She instructs him to stay there temporarily until Esau's anger subsides.
Rebekah's words are more than just advice; they're a desperate plea born from a complex mix of faith, fear, and flawed human action.
Rebekah takes full responsibility for the deception, urging Jacob to obey her command. This isn't just a mother's instruction; it's a strategic move to protect her son, stemming from her promise in Genesis 27:13: 'Upon me be thy curse, my son; only obey my voice.'
The Weight of a Promise
Rebekah's earlier assurance to Jacob, 'Upon me be thy curse,' reveals her deep commitment to the plan and her willingness to bear the consequences. This highlights the intense pressure she felt to secure the promised blessing for Jacob, even if it meant stepping outside of God's direct commands.
Fear and Faith Intertwined
While Rebekah acted in faith, believing she was securing God's promised blessing for Jacob, her actions were also driven by fear—fear of Esau's wrath and fear of God's promise being lost. This verse shows how easily human fear and flawed actions can become entangled with faith, leading to desperate measures.
Jacob's departure isn't just a retreat; it's a necessary separation driven by the immediate danger from his enraged brother.
Rebekah's command for Jacob to 'arise, flee thou to Laban my brother in Haran' underscores the severity of Esau's anger and the immediate threat to Jacob's life. This flight is not merely for comfort but for survival.
A Brother's Fury
The commentary notes that Esau's rage is described with words suggesting intense heat and visible anger. Rebekah understands this danger and the need for Jacob to be physically removed from his brother's immediate vicinity.
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A Strategic Exile
While fleeing for safety, this exile also serves a strategic purpose. By sending Jacob to Laban, Rebekah creates distance until Esau's fury subsides. The hope is that time and separation will cool his anger and allow for reconciliation or at least a temporary truce. It also places Jacob in a location where he can eventually find a wife according to the family's lineage hopes, away from the Canaanite women that concerned Rebekah (Genesis 27:46).
This verse marks the beginning of Jacob's long exile, a direct consequence of the deception surrounding the patriarchal blessing and Esau's subsequent murderous intent. His flight to Haran sets the stage for his encounter with Laban and the foundational experiences of his life.
c. 1800 BC
Isaac's Family Life
Isaac, old and nearly blind, intends to bless his elder son Esau. Rebekah overhears and conspires with Jacob, her younger son, to trick Isaac into giving him the blessing meant for Esau.
c. 1800 BC
Jacob Deceives Isaac
Jacob, disguised and following his mother's instructions, receives the patriarchal blessing from Isaac, which was intended for Esau.
c. 1800 BC
Esau's Fury and Threat
Upon discovering the deception, Esau is enraged and vows to kill Jacob after their father's mourning period.
c. 1800 BC— this verse
Rebekah Advises Jacob to Flee
Rebekah, hearing of Esau's murderous intentions, urges Jacob to flee for his safety to her brother Laban in Haran, a distant city.
c. 1800 BC
Jacob's Exile Begins
Jacob leaves home to escape Esau's wrath and travels to Haran, initiating a period of separation from his family and a new life of hardship and service.
This passage directly follows Jacob's departure and his arrival at Bethel, showing Jacob's own journey and the continuation of the blessing that began with Isaac's deception.
Genesis 31:38-42This passage details Jacob's long stay with Laban, highlighting that the 'few days' Rebekah mentioned stretched into twenty years, illustrating the prolonged consequences of the initial deception and flight.
Romans 9:10-13Paul references this event to explain God's sovereign choice, emphasizing that God's purposes are not based on human actions but on His own calling, which directly relates to why Jacob was chosen over Esau.
Hebrews 12:16-17This passage uses Esau's story as a cautionary tale about despising one's spiritual birthright and its irreversible consequences, directly paralleling Esau's bitter regret after losing his blessing.
gillGenesis 27:43: "Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;"
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice,.... Hearken to what I say, and do according to it, as he had already in many instances, and particularly in a late one, in which he succeeded, and therefore had good reason to attend to her advice and direction, see Genesis 27:13 , and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother, to Haran; where Laban her brother, dwelt.
calvinGenesis 27:1-46: "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I."
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it
Ribca autem audiebat, dum loqueretur Ishac ad Esau filium suum: et perrexit Esau in agrum, ut venaretur venationem, ut afferret.
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob h…
Rebekah, the mother, is not just offering advice here; she's taking full responsibility for the deception, fulfilling her promise to bear any curse for Jacob's gain. She's urging him to flee not just for safety, but as a direct consequence of her own scheming.
Rebekah, fearing for Jacob's life after Esau discovered he'd been tricked out of the patriarchal blessing, urges Jacob to flee to her brother Laban's home in Haran. She instructs him to stay there temporarily until Esau's anger subsides.
Rebekah, fearing for Jacob's life after Esau discovered he'd been tricked out of the patriarchal blessing, urges Jacob to flee to her brother Laban's home in Haran. She instructs him to stay there temporarily until Esau's anger subsides.
"Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran" — Rebekah, the mother, is not just offering advice here; she's taking full responsibility for the deception, fulfilling her promise to bear any curse for Jacob's gain. She's urging him to flee not just…
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Last reviewed October 2026