Genesis 25:22 Commentary and Bible Study

There was a great jostling and fighting going on. This cannot be explained in wholly natural terms. It was excessive and extraordinary, and of course, Rebecca is deeply concerned. ‘If it be so be, why am I thus?’ It's happening all the time, not just once or twice. Although she is going to commit a great sin, they are godly people. Godly people can sin and fall. This is part of the lesson. She went to inquire of the Lord, and that is a great motto for all of us. It is the first thing we should do in every difficulty, and trial, and perplexity.A very shallow interpretation would suggest that Rebekah did not realise she was expecting a child. ‘Why am I so disturbed within?’ But that is obviously incorrect. She sees here that there is something indicated by this unusual occurrence. She knows she is expecting, but why should there be this struggle, this jostling within her womb? Though she was a new mother, she realised that this was not normal. The Hebrew word for ‘struggle’ means literally ‘to crush’ and indicates the violence of what was happening within her. These were not the normal movements of twins in her womb. And so she prays to the Lord, ‘Why am I thus?’ What is the significance? Why is this happening? They were already struggling together in a way that was symptomatic of the struggle which would exist between them in adult life. She pleads for light, and it comes in this great statement from the Lord.