Rebekah’s reply reveals that she is determined to pursue her scheme regardless of the consequences.

Upon me be your curse: Rebekah invites the curse that Isaac may cast on Jacob to fall on her. Your curse means the curse that Isaac invokes on you (Jacob). In some languages this sentence must be restructured to make clear how Rebekah invites this curse to transfer to her. Note that Good News Translation says “Let any curse against you fall on me.” We may also translate, for example, “I will take on myself that curse,” “I will accept that curse for myself,” “Let me be cursed and not you,” or “I will be cursed in your place.” A translation that gives a fuller expression to curse says “If he calls down trouble on you, that trouble can come on me alone.”

Only obey my word: Rebekah returns immediately to her scheme and urges her son to act. Obey my word is literally “hear my voice” (see verse 8). Only translates a Hebrew adverb that introduces here a contrast with what has just been said. Note Good News Translation “Just do….” In some languages the contrast may be expressed more idiomatically in words like “Don’t you worry, my son … Just do what I tell you.”

Go, fetch them to me: fetch means “bring.” Them refers to the two kids (verse 9).

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .