Bible Strands
Genesis 28:8
And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes Esau’s observation while Jacob departs for Paddan-aram under Isaac’s directive. Esau registers his father’s established stance before acting on it.
The words — The phrase בְּ/עֵינֵי יִצְחָק (be./'ei.Nei yitz.Chak) literally means "in the eyes of Isaac," denoting his personal assessment. The verb רָעוֹת (ra.'ot) states that the Canaanite women were "displeasing" or "evil" in his sight.
The thread — The concern over foreign wives reappears in Abraham’s oath in Genesis 24:3 and Isaac’s command in Genesis 28:1. It directly responds to the earlier record of Esau’s Canaanite marriages in Genesis 26:34.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note Esau’s awareness of the paternal boundary and his attempt to comply through a new marriage. It establishes a narrative precedent that family lineage must be kept separate from the surrounding Canaanite population.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;
Cross-references
- Genesis 24:3 and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
- Genesis 26:34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.
- Genesis 28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. “Do not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” he commanded.
- 1 Samuel 8:6 But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.