Genesis 27:45
until your brother's rage against you wanes and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?"
until your brother’s rage turns away
This phrase highlights the intense anger Esau felt towards Jacob after being deceived out of his blessing. The Hebrew word for "rage" here is "chemah," which conveys a sense of burning anger or wrath. Historically, this reflects the deep-seated emotions that could arise from familial betrayal, especially in a culture where blessings and birthrights were of utmost importance. The phrase suggests a hope for reconciliation and the passing of time as a healer of wounds.

and he forgets what you have done to him
The concept of forgetting in this context is not merely about memory loss but about the diminishment of the emotional impact of the betrayal. The Hebrew root "shakach" implies a letting go or ceasing to care about the offense. This reflects a biblical theme of forgiveness and the possibility of moving past grievances, which is a cornerstone of Christian teaching on reconciliation and grace.

Then I will send for you and bring you back from there
This phrase indicates a plan for restoration and reunion. The act of sending for someone implies a deliberate and hopeful action towards reconciliation. In the historical context, it underscores the importance of family unity and the lengths to which one would go to restore broken relationships. It also reflects the biblical narrative of exile and return, a recurring theme throughout Scripture.

Why should I lose both of you in one day?
This rhetorical question reveals the deep fear and concern of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau. The potential loss of both sons—one through murder and the other through exile—would be devastating. The phrase underscores the value of family and the emotional turmoil that comes with familial conflict. It also highlights the biblical principle of the sanctity of life and the desire to preserve it, even amidst strife.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Rebekah
The mother of Esau and Jacob, who orchestrates Jacob's deception to receive Isaac's blessing.

2. Jacob
The younger son of Isaac and Rebekah, who deceives his father to receive the blessing meant for Esau.

3. Esau
The elder son of Isaac and Rebekah, who is angered by Jacob's deception and plans to kill him.

4. Isaac
The father of Esau and Jacob, who is deceived by Jacob into giving him the blessing.

5. Haran
The place where Rebekah plans to send Jacob to escape Esau's wrath.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Deception
Deception can lead to broken relationships and long-lasting consequences. We must strive for honesty and integrity in our dealings with others.

The Power of Anger
Anger, if not addressed, can lead to destructive actions. It is crucial to seek reconciliation and forgiveness to prevent bitterness from taking root.

The Role of Family Mediation
Rebekah's intervention highlights the importance of family members in mediating conflicts and seeking peace within the family unit.

Trusting God's Timing
Rebekah's plan to send for Jacob when Esau's anger subsides teaches us to trust in God's timing for reconciliation and healing.

The Hope of Reconciliation
Despite the conflict, there is hope for reconciliation and restored relationships, as seen in the eventual peace between Jacob and Esau.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Rebekah's plan to send Jacob away reflect her understanding of the consequences of deception, and what can we learn from her actions?

2. In what ways can unresolved anger lead to further sin, and how does the Bible instruct us to deal with anger?

3. How does the eventual reconciliation between Jacob and Esau in Genesis 33 encourage us to seek peace in our own relationships?

4. What role can family members play in mediating conflicts, and how can we apply this in our own family dynamics?

5. How can we trust in God's timing for reconciliation and healing in our relationships, and what steps can we take to prepare our hearts for such moments?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 33
The eventual reconciliation between Jacob and Esau, showing the fulfillment of Rebekah's hope that Esau's anger would subside.

Proverbs 15:1
Highlights the power of a gentle answer to turn away wrath, relevant to the theme of reconciliation.

Matthew 5:23-24
Jesus' teaching on reconciliation with a brother before offering a gift at the altar, emphasizing the importance of resolving conflicts.

Ephesians 4:26-27
Paul's instruction not to let the sun go down on anger, which relates to the theme of dealing with anger promptly.

Hebrews 12:15-17
Warns against bitterness, using Esau as an example, and connects to the consequences of unresolved anger.
Esau's ResentmentT. H. Leale.Genesis 27:41-45
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Genesis 27:41-45
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Genesis 27:41-45
People
Esau, Haran, Heth, Isaac, Jacob, Laban, Rebekah
Places
Beersheba, Haran
Topics
Anger, Angry, Bereaved, Bereft, Bring, Brother's, Deprived, Fetch, Forget, Forgets, Forgotten, Hast, I'll, Longer, Lose, Memory, Past, Subsides, Thence, Till, Turn, Turns
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Genesis 27:41-45

     5095   Jacob, life
     5834   disagreement

Genesis 27:42-45

     7212   exile

Library
There is a Great Question About Lying, which Often Arises in the Midst Of...
1. There is a great question about Lying, which often arises in the midst of our every day business, and gives us much trouble, that we may not either rashly call that a lie which is not such, or decide that it is sometimes right to tell a lie, that is, a kind of honest, well-meant, charitable lie. This question we will painfully discuss by seeking with them that seek: whether to any good purpose, we need not take upon ourselves to affirm, for the attentive reader will sufficiently gather from the
St. Augustine—On Lying

Epistle Lii. To Natalis, Bishop .
To Natalis, Bishop [1463] . Gregory to Natalis, Bishop of Salona. As though forgetting the tenour of former letters, I had determined to say nothing to your Blessedness but what should savour of sweetness: but, now that in your epistle you have recurred in the way of argumentation to preceding letters, I am once more compelled to say perhaps some things that I had rather not have said. For in defence of feasts your Fraternity mentions the feast of Abraham, in which by the testimony of Holy Scripture
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
Ver. 8. "Judah, thou, thy brethren shall praise thee; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall bow down the sons of thy father. Ver. 9. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, thou goest up; he stoopeth down, he coucheth as a lion, and as a full-grown lion, who shall rouse him up? Ver. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto Him the people shall adhere." Thus does dying Jacob, in announcing
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Letter xxxv. From Pope Damasus.
Damasus addresses five questions to Jerome with a request for information concerning them. They are: 1. What is the meaning of the words "Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold"? (Gen. iv. 5.) 2. If God has made all things good, how comes it that He gives charge to Noah concerning unclean animals, and says to Peter, "What God hath cleansed that call not thou common"? (Acts x. 15.) 3. How is Gen. xv. 16, "in the fourth generation they shall come hither again," to be reconciled
St. Jerome—The Principal Works of St. Jerome

Touching Jacob, However, that which He did at his Mother's Bidding...
24. Touching Jacob, however, that which he did at his mother's bidding, so as to seem to deceive his father, if with diligence and in faith it be attended to, is no lie, but a mystery. The which if we shall call lies, all parables also, and figures designed for the signifying of any things soever, which are not to be taken according to their proper meaning, but in them is one thing to be understood from another, shall be said to be lies: which be far from us altogether. For he who thinks this, may
St. Augustine—Against Lying

Conflict.
"Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against themselves, that ye
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

First Withdrawal from Herod's Territory and Return.
(Spring, a.d. 29.) Subdivision C. The Twelve Try to Row Back. Jesus Walks Upon the Water. ^A Matt. XIV. 22-36; ^B Mark VI. 45-56; ^D John VI. 15-21. ^d 15 Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone. [Jesus had descended to the plain to feed the multitude, but, perceiving this mistaken desire of the people, he frustrated it by dismissing his disciples and retiring by himself into the mountain.] ^a
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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