Genesis 25 · Verse 28

Genesis 25:28

And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Genesis 25:28, King James Version

Genesis 25:28 in other translations

BSBBecause Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
WEBNow Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.
ASVNow Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: and Rebekah loved Jacob.
YLTand Isaac loveth Esau, for his hunting is in his mouth; and Rebekah is loving Jacob.
DARBYAnd Isaac loved Esau, because venison was to his taste; and Rebecca loved Jacob.
BBENow Isaac's love was for Esau, because Esau's meat was greatly to his taste: but Rebekah had more love for Jacob.
WebsterAnd Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

What does Genesis 25:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
28. The parents were divided in their affection; and while the grounds, at least of the father's partiality, were weak, the distinction made between the children led, as such conduct always does, to unhappy consequences.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 25:27-28

Esau hunted the beasts of the field with dexterity and success, till he became a conqueror, ruling over his neighbours. Jacob was a plain man, one that liked the true delights of retirement, better than all pretended pleasures. He was a stranger and a pilgrim in his spirit, and a shepherd all his days. Isaac and Rebekah had but these two children, one was the father's darling, and the other the mother's. And though…

Read the full comment on Genesis 25:27-28 →

Genesis 25:28 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֶּאֱהַ֥בvai.ye.'e.Havand he lovedH157
יִצְחָ֛קyitz.ChakIsaacH3327
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֵשָׂ֖ו'e.SavEsauH6215
כִּי\־ki-forH3588
צַ֣יִדTza.yidwild gameH6718
בְּפִ֑יוbe.Fiv[was] in mouth hisH6310
וְרִבְקָ֖הve.riv.Kahand RebekahH7259
אֹהֶ֥בֶת'o.He.vet[was] lovingH157
אֶֽת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יַעֲקֹֽב\׃ya.'a.KoJacobH3290

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 25:28

  • Genesis 27:19

    And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

  • Genesis 27:31

    And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me.

  • Genesis 27:4

    And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

  • Genesis 27:9

    Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

  • Genesis 27:25

    And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.

  • Genesis 27:6-7

    And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he did eat of his venison. Heb. venison was in his mouth.
27:4,19,25,31
Rebekah.
27:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 25:27

    And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

  • Genesis 25:28

    And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

  • Genesis 25:29

    And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

Read all of Genesis 25

Genesis 25:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y amó Isaac á Esaú, porque comía de su caza; mas Rebeca amaba á Jacob.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Isaac aimait Ésaü, car le gibier était sa viande; mais Rebecca aimait Jacob.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Isaak hatte Esau lieb, denn Wildbret war nach seinem Munde; Rebekka aber hatte Jakob lieb.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Isaac amabat Esau, eo quod de venationibus illius vesceretur: et Rebecca diligebat Jacob.