Genesis 25:29-34
29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
The brothers born for conflict find the tipping point when Jacob made stew and Esau came in hungry from the field, likely after hunting all day. He was tired and would do anything for a bowl of Jacob’s stew. Jacob the supplanter told his brother he could have it at the price of the firstborn, the birthright of inheritance. This inheritance was not just material, but also spiritual with a father’s blessings. Esau worries more about his self-serving appetite in the here and now than a future blessing, willingly and gladly agreeing. He even took a an oath to give it up to Jacob. This is how much he despised God’s gift of blessing and preferred the single meal over the immense gifts from God’s hand that do not grow old (Hebrews 12:16-17). Do we ever look down on God’s grace in His gift of salvation to the point of failing to value it above all else? This example is a warning to desire better, that is, heavenly things.
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