Jacob was forbidden to marry a Canaanite woman so the covenant line would not be joined to a cursed and idolatrous people.
The prohibition appears in Abraham's instruction that Isaac not take a Canaanite daughter, and Isaac repeated it when he sent Jacob to Padan-aram. Les Feldick connects this to Noah's curse on Canaan and to the biblical warning that Canaanite marriages would turn sons away from following God. Esau had already married Canaanite women, so Jacob's obedience stood in contrast.
Genesis 24:3-4 — Abraham commanded his servant not to take a Canaanite wife for Isaac, establishing the same principle later applied to Jacob.
Genesis 28:6-7 — Esau saw that Isaac gave Jacob the same charge not to take a Canaanite wife, and that Jacob obeyed.
Deuteronomy 7:3-4 — God gives the explicit reason: Canaanite marriages would turn sons away from following Him.
The Bible shows that the covenant line was to be kept separate from the Canaanites. Abraham made his servant swear, "Thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites" (Genesis 24:3), and instead told him to go to Abraham's kindred for Isaac's wife (Genesis 24:4). The same charge was repeated for Jacob: Esau saw that "as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan" (Genesis 28:6), and that Jacob obeyed and went to Padan-aram (Genesis 28:7). God later spells out the reason plainly when Israel entered the land: "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them... For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods" (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).
Les Feldick traces the prohibition against Canaanite marriages back to the curse on Canaan from Noah. He says, "Canaan is the one who is cursed," and that is why the promised line was not to marry into that family. He points out that Abraham deliberately refused a Canaanite wife for Isaac and sent back to his own kindred instead, using Genesis 24:3-4 as the text. Les also emphasizes that all the Middle Eastern families were interrelated, but the Canaanites were kept out because "God had distinctly said that they were not to marry a Canaanite." He shows the same charge was given to Jacob after Esau had already married Canaanite women, and he highlights God's reason from Deuteronomy 7: Canaanite marriages would turn sons away from following God.
Les explains that the reason goes all the way back to Noah's curse on Canaan. He says, "Canaan is the one who is cursed," and then quotes, "Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant." He also uses Deuteronomy 7:3-4, where God says not to make marriages with them because "they will turn away thy son from following me."
Les notes that Esau married two Canaanite women. When Isaac sent Jacob away, he gave him the charge not to take a wife of the Canaanites, "which he had already done, of course." Jacob obeyed his father and went to Padan-aram, so Esau could see that Jacob followed the charge.
Isaac sent Jacob to Padan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah. This followed the pattern Abraham had set for Isaac: go back to the family kindred rather than marry among the Canaanites.
What Does the Bible Say About Deception? Jacob, Esau, and the Stolen Blessing.
of mourning for my father are at hand. But like I told you, Esau recuperated, you know, and he lived a good many years after this, but that still didn't take the hatred out of Esau's heart. And so verse 42, the words of Esau, the elder son, were told to Rebekah, and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold thy brother Esau, as touching thee doth comfort himself, purposi…
Abraham's command against Canaanite wives
Les says Abraham deliberately avoided the many Canaanite women and sent his servant back to his relatives for Isaac's bride, explaining, 'Thou shalt not take a Canaanite for a wife.'
Why God forbade Canaanite marriages
From Deuteronomy 7, Les highlights that marrying Canaanites would turn sons away from following God, which is God's stated reason for the ban.
The charge to go to Isaac's kindred
Les quotes Genesis 24:3-4 showing that Isaac was not to take a daughter of Canaan, but was to go back to Abraham's country and kindred for a wife.
The same command repeated
Les repeats the Genesis 24 charge that Abraham made his servant swear not to take a Canaanite wife for Isaac, confirming this was a binding family requirement.
The curse of Canaan behind the ban
Les traces the prohibition back to Noah's curse: Canaan is cursed, and that is why the line of promise was not to marry into Canaan.
Canaanites kept out of the intertwined families
Les notes that while all the other Middle Eastern families were interrelated, Canaanites were excluded because God had said they were not to be married.
Isaac's charge and Esau's example
Les says Isaac charged Jacob not to take a Canaanite wife — something Esau had already done — and Jacob obeyed, going to Padan-aram.
Genesis 24:3: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
Abraham makes his servant swear that Isaac will not marry a Canaanite.
Genesis 24:4: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
The alternative was to go back to Abraham's kindred, not the people of Canaan.
Genesis 28:6: When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padan-aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;
Esau saw that Isaac gave Jacob the same charge not to marry a Canaanite.
Genesis 28:7: And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram;
Jacob obeyed the charge and went to Padan-aram.
Deuteronomy 7:3: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
God forbids intermarriage with the Canaanites when Israel enters the land.
Deuteronomy 7:4: For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
The stated reason is that such marriages turn God's people away from Him.
Genesis 9:26: And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
The curse on Canaan is the background to keeping Canaanites separate.
Yes. The Bible shows that Isaac gave Jacob a charge: "Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan" (Genesis 28:6). Jacob obeyed and went to Padan-aram.
Les points back to Noah's curse on Canaan, and Deuteronomy 7:4 gives God's reason: "For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods."
Yes. Les says Esau married two Canaanite women, and when Isaac charged Jacob not to take a Canaanite wife, it was something Esau had already done.
Watch the Teaching: What Does the Bible Say About Deception? Jacob, Esau, and the Stolen Blessing.