Genesis 27:44

KJV

And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

KJV (with Strong's)

And tarry {H3427} with him a few {H259} days {H3117}, until {H834} thy brother's {H251} fury {H2534} turn away {H7725};

Complete Jewish Bible

Stay with him a little while, until your brother's anger subsides.

Berean Standard Bible

Stay with him for a while, until your brother’s fury subsides—

American Standard Version

and tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 27:44 captures Rebekah's urgent and deceptive instruction to Jacob, commanding him to flee to her brother Laban in Haran. She advises him to "tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away," a desperate measure to protect her favored son from the murderous rage of Esau, whose birthright and blessing Jacob had just stolen through an elaborate ruse. This verse marks the immediate, profound consequences of Jacob's deceit, initiating a long period of exile and family separation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated at a critical turning point in the patriarchal narrative of Genesis, immediately following Jacob's audacious deception of his blind father, Isaac, to usurp the blessing intended for his elder twin brother, Esau. The preceding verses [Genesis 27:1-29](/genesis/27-1-29 "Jacob Steals Esau's Blessing") detail the elaborate plot orchestrated by Rebekah. Upon discovering the betrayal, Esau erupts in a profound and murderous rage, vowing to kill Jacob once their father Isaac had passed away [Genesis 27:41](/genesis/27-41 "Esau's Vow to Kill Jacob"). Rebekah, alerted to Esau's deadly intent [Genesis 27:42](/genesis/27-42 "Rebekah Hears of Esau's Plan"), swiftly devises a plan for Jacob's escape, which begins with the instruction given in [Genesis 27:43](/genesis/27-43 "Rebekah's Instruction to Jacob to Flee") and elaborated in [Genesis 27:44](/genesis/27-44 "Rebekah's Instruction to Jacob to Tarry"). This moment sets the stage for Jacob's long exile and the subsequent narratives of his life in Haran.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, the patriarchal blessing was a solemn, irrevocable pronouncement carrying immense spiritual, social, and economic weight, often determining the recipient's future standing and inheritance. The firstborn son typically received a double portion of the inheritance and the primary blessing, making Esau's loss particularly devastating. Family honor and vengeance were deeply ingrained cultural values, meaning Esau's vow to kill Jacob was not an idle threat but a culturally understood and expected response to such a profound betrayal. The concept of "tarrying" or sojourning (living as a temporary resident) was common in nomadic and semi-nomadic societies, highlighting the temporary nature of Jacob's intended stay, though Rebekah's estimation of its duration proved tragically inaccurate.
* **Key Themes:** [Genesis 27](/genesis/27 "Jacob and Esau's Conflict") is rich with themes that resonate throughout the book and beyond. **Deception** is central, as Jacob, aided by Rebekah, employs elaborate trickery to gain the blessing. This act highlights the destructive nature of **favoritism**, a recurring issue in the patriarchal narratives, as Rebekah's preference for Jacob directly contributes to the family strife. The immediate and severe **consequences of sin** are vividly portrayed, as Jacob's action leads directly to his forced exile and a long period of separation from his family. Despite the human failings and manipulation, the narrative subtly underscores **divine sovereignty**, as God's ultimate plan for Jacob to inherit the covenant promises, first given to Abraham and Isaac, continues to unfold, even through flawed human agents. This chapter also introduces the theme of **reconciliation**, though it will take many years and much personal growth for Jacob and Esau to eventually meet again, as seen in [Genesis 33](/genesis/33 "Jacob and Esau Reconcile").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Rebekah's instruction, "And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away," encapsulates the immediate fallout of Jacob's deceit and the desperate measures taken to preserve his life.

#### Key Word Analysis
* **tarry (Hebrew, _yâshab'_):** From H3427, meaning "to sit down... to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry." In this context, it conveys the idea of staying or residing. Rebekah intends for Jacob to "remain" or "abide" with Laban, but critically, her use implies a temporary, rather than permanent, dwelling. The choice of this verb underscores her expectation of a brief sojourn, a "sitting down" that would quickly conclude.
* **few days (Hebrew, _ʼechâd yôwm'_):** From H259 ("one" or "a few") and H3117 ("day"). Literally, "one day" or "a day," but contextually meaning "a few days" or "a short time." This phrase is pivotal, revealing Rebekah's profound underestimation of the depth and longevity of Esau's rage. Her hope for a swift resolution—that a short period of separation would allow Esau's anger to dissipate—contrasts sharply with the reality of Jacob's two-decade exile, highlighting the unpredictable and long-lasting consequences of sin and deep family strife.
* **fury (Hebrew, _chêmâh'_):** From H2534, meaning "heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever); hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath(-ful)." This is a powerful term, indicating an intense, burning anger, far beyond mere annoyance. Esau's "fury" is not a fleeting emotion but a deep-seated, potentially murderous rage, likened to a fever or poison, reflecting the profound sense of betrayal he experienced. Rebekah's hope that such an intense emotion would simply "turn away" in a few days was naive.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And tarry with him a few days,"**: This clause conveys Rebekah's immediate command to Jacob. The urgency is implicit, as she is sending him away from immediate danger. Her instruction for a "few days" reveals her strategic yet ultimately flawed attempt to control the situation and manage the severe consequences of her own instigation of the deception. She believes a short period of separation will be sufficient for Esau's anger to subside.
* **"until thy brother's fury turn away;"**: This second clause states the condition for Jacob's return. Rebekah's hope is that Esau's intense "fury" (as described above) will "turn away" or dissipate. The verb "turn away" (H7725, _shûwb_) implies a reversal or turning back, suggesting a return to a calmer state. This highlights Rebekah's miscalculation of the depth of Esau's indignation, which would prove to be a long-lasting and deeply rooted animosity, stretching the "few days" into two decades of separation.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs **Irony**, particularly in Rebekah's optimistic assessment of "a few days." What she anticipates as a brief cooling-off period stretches into two decades of separation, demonstrating the unpredictable and far-reaching consequences of deceptive actions. This temporal discrepancy serves as a form of **Foreshadowing**, hinting at the long and arduous journey Jacob is about to undertake, filled with his own trials and deceptions while in Haran. There is also an element of **Contrast** between Rebekah's hope for a swift resolution and the deep, enduring nature of Esau's "fury," which is described with a word implying intense heat and poison. This contrast underscores the profound damage inflicted by Jacob's deceit and the difficulty of healing such deep wounds.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 27:44 profoundly illustrates the destructive ripple effect of sin within a family. Jacob's deception, though successful in securing the blessing, immediately precipitates a life-threatening crisis, forcing him into exile and causing deep familial rifts. This narrative serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly successful acts of manipulation carry severe, often unforeseen, consequences that impact not only the perpetrators but also innocent bystanders and future generations. Despite this human brokenness and the flawed means employed, God's overarching plan for Jacob to inherit the covenant promises remains steadfast, demonstrating divine sovereignty working through and often in spite of human imperfections.

* [Proverbs 16:7](/proverbs/16-7 "Proverbs 16:7 - When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.")
* [Romans 12:18](/romans/12-18 "Romans 12:18 - If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.")
* [Genesis 33:4](/genesis/33-4 "Genesis 33:4 - Esau Embraces Jacob")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 27:44 serves as a potent reminder of the far-reaching consequences of deceptive actions and unresolved family conflict. It illustrates that sin creates dangerous rifts, often requiring significant time and effort to heal, and impacting not just the immediate parties but entire family structures. While Rebekah hoped for a swift resolution, the prolonged separation emphasizes that deep-seated anger and betrayal rarely dissipate quickly, often necessitating space and a cooling-off period before any true reconciliation can begin. For believers, this narrative underscores the importance of honesty, the need to address conflict proactively and with integrity, and the understanding that true peace often requires patience, humility, and a reliance on God's timing rather than human manipulation. It challenges us to consider the long-term repercussions of our choices and to seek reconciliation rooted in genuine repentance and forgiveness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do my actions, even those with seemingly good intentions, sometimes lead to unintended negative consequences for myself or others?**
* **What deep-seated conflicts or unresolved anger might exist in my own relationships, and what steps can I take towards genuine reconciliation, even if it requires significant time and patience?**
* **In what ways might I be tempted to manipulate circumstances for what I perceive as a positive outcome, rather than trusting God's timing and righteous means?**

### FAQ
**Why did Rebekah believe Esau's fury would "turn away" in just "a few days"?**

Answer: Rebekah's assessment of "a few days" was a significant miscalculation, likely stemming from a combination of factors. First, it reflects a mother's optimistic hope that intense family anger, especially between brothers, would naturally subside with time and distance. She may have underestimated the profound depth of Esau's betrayal, which involved the theft of both his birthright and his patriarchal blessing, a double blow to his identity and future. Her desire for a quick resolution was undoubtedly driven by her protective love for Jacob and her desire to see him return home swiftly. However, her plan failed to account for the enduring nature of such deep-seated resentment and the spiritual damage inflicted, leading to a separation that stretched into two decades, as recounted in [Genesis 31:41](/genesis/31-41 "Jacob's Twenty Years with Laban"). This highlights the unpredictable and often long-lasting repercussions of sin and broken trust.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Genesis 27:44 primarily details human sin and its immediate consequences, it subtly points to Christ in several profound ways. Jacob's desperate flight from Esau's wrath foreshadows the ultimate refuge found in Christ, who offers escape from the righteous wrath of God against sin [Romans 5:9](/romans/5-9 "Romans 5:9 - Saved from Wrath Through Christ"). Just as Jacob became a sojourner, seeking a temporary dwelling away from danger, believers are called to live as sojourners and exiles in this world, looking to Christ as their eternal dwelling and ultimate protector [1 Peter 2:11](/1_peter/2-11 "1 Peter 2:11 - Sojourners and Exiles"). The long-awaited, though imperfect, reconciliation between Jacob and Esau after two decades of separation prefigures the perfect and ultimate reconciliation and peace that Christ brings between God and humanity, and among people, through His atoning work on the cross [Colossians 1:20](/colossians/1-20 "Colossians 1:20 - Reconciling All Things Through Christ"). Ultimately, the narrative of human brokenness, the devastating effects of sin, and the need for a mediator points to Jesus as the true reconciler, the one who perfectly fulfills God's promises and brings about true peace, despite human failings and the deep divisions caused by sin [Ephesians 2:14-16](/ephesians/2-14-16 "Ephesians 2:14-16 - Christ Our Peace").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 31:38

This twenty years [have] I [been] with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

Genesis 31:41

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.