Background:
In Parshat Toldot, Rivka conceives and is troubled by the discomfort.
She goes to ask Hashem and it is explained to her that 2 nations are struggling within her, so she already knows that she is birth multiples.
But in pasuk 24, the text reads, " וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִם בְּבִטְנָהּ" "and behold, there were twins in her womb" (text and translation God via Chabad, bold, mine).
Question:
If she knew that there was more than one child, why was it a surprise that 2 were born?
The Rashbam says that the use of "hineh" is reserved for a "chidush" -- something that was not known before, and he gives 2 examples.
How was this a surprise?
The Sforno says that before they were born, it was known that there were 2 babies.
Was she expecting one baby to kill the other in the womb?
My first thought was that the prophecy regarding 2 nations was metaphorical -- that a single child would struggle with his nature so the birth of two separate babies was unexpected.
But if that were the case, why would pasuk 22 state, "וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ" and say explicitly that there was more than one child in there (and why would the Sforno endorse the idea that this was known)?
Is it that the pasuk tells us but she doesn't know?
If so, why tell us at all if the text is going to use the language of "behold"?
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