Genesis 25:31-34

Genesis 25:31-34

[31] And Jacob  said,  Sell  me this day  thy birthright.  [32] And Esau  said,  Behold, I am at the point  to die:  and what profit shall this birthright  do to me? [33] And Jacob  said,  Swear  to me this day;  and he sware  unto him: and he sold  his birthright  unto Jacob.  [34] Then Jacob  gave  Esau  bread  and pottage  of lentiles;  and he did eat  and drink,  and rose up,  thus Esau  despised  his birthright. 

What does Genesis 25:31-34 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The way Jacob stated his demand suggests that he had long premeditated his act and ruthlessly exploited his brother"s weakness. His insistence that Esau swear to him strengthens this impression. Jacob"s lack of compassion and hospitality contrasts with that of Abraham ( Genesis 18:1-8) and Lot ( Genesis 19:1-8). It was right that he valued the birthright, but it was wrong that he obtained it as he did. Because Esau despised his birthright Jacob obtained it and became what God had promised He would become, the stronger son who would lead ( Genesis 25:23). Explicit moral commentary is rare in the Bible, so the writer"s inclusion of it here marks something about Esau that he did not want the reader to miss.
"The cunning hunter fell into a better hunter"s trap, becoming prey to his own appetite." [1]
The writer showed that the natures of the two sons were very different; they were not identical twins. Esau cared only for physical and material things whereas Jacob valued the spiritual. Esau gave priority to the immediate satisfaction of his sensual desires, but Jacob was willing to wait for something better that God had promised in the future (cf. Hebrews 12:16).
"The frivolity with which he [2] sold his birthright ... rendered him unfit to be the heir and possessor of the promised grace." [3]
"From one human perspective, Esau, who functions as a foil to Jacob, is much more likeable than Jacob. From the divine viewpoint, however, he is rejected because he rejects his right to inherit the divinely given vision of his fathers." [4]
The birthright was the privilege of being chief of the tribe and head of the family ( Genesis 27:29). In Isaac"s family it entitled the bearer to the blessing of Yahweh"s promise ( Genesis 27:4; Genesis 27:27-29), which included the possession of Canaan and covenant fellowship with God ( Genesis 28:4). It included a double portion of the inheritance ( Deuteronomy 21:17) and the privilege of being the priest (spiritual leader) of the family. [5]
"It is quite apparent from the Nuzi tablets that instances of the transference of birthright, such as occurred in the Patriarchal narratives, were not uncommon in Hurrian society. One example concerns a certain Zirteshup, whose father disowned him but later restored his status.... Another instance of the transference of birthright from the Nuzi tablets is the exchange by one Kurpazah of his birthright in consideration for three sheep given to him by Tupkitilla, his brother. In the light of this example, Esau"s willingness to exchange his birthright for Jacob"s mess of pottage ( Genesis 25:29-34) is perhaps more understandable." [6]
Even though Esau was a cunning hunter he placed little value on his privilege as the first-born son. He was willing to trade it to his crafty brother for a meal of "red stuff," a fitting description of his own nature. [7]
The structure of the narrative again identifies the writer"s emphasis, this time Esau"s disdain for his birthright ( Genesis 25:32).
"AJacob was boiling pottage ( Genesis 25:29 a).BEsau came in from the field; he was tired ( Genesis 25:29 b).Cwayyo"mer "esaw: Let me eat some of that red pottage . . ., I am so tired! ( Genesis 25:30)Dwayyo"mer ya"aqob: First sell me your bkrh ( Genesis 25:31).Ewayyo"mer "esaw: I depart; I die! Of what use is a bkrh to me? ( Genesis 25:32).D"wayyo"mer ya"aqob: Swear to me first. So he swore to him and sold his bkrh to Jacob ( Genesis 25:33).C"Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; he ate and he drank ( Genesis 25:34 aa).B"He rose and went his way ( Genesis 25:34 ab).A"Thus Esau despised his birthright ( Genesis 25:34 b)." [8]
There are two important instances of first-born sons relinquishing the rights of primogeniture in Genesis: Esau and Reuben. Esau considered his birthright of so little value that he sold all his rights as first-born to Jacob to realize an immediate physical gratification. Reuben forfeited his birthright through sexual promiscuity ( Genesis 35:22; Genesis 49:3-4). In Esau"s case, his entire birthright went to Jacob. In Reuben"s, his went to three of his brothers. Judah obtained the regal right, Levi eventually received the priestly right, and the blessing of the double portion went to Joseph who realized it through his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. [9]
In reading this pericope many have concluded that God chose Jacob over Esau because He foresaw that Jacob would value the promises and the birthright, whereas Esau would not. This is not correct. Jacob valued the spiritual because God gave him the grace to do so. In the previous generation Isaac was the recipient of God"s grace while Lot and Ishmael were not. Abraham was, too, whereas his brothers were not.
In this incident Jacob manifested spiritual perception. Some writers have suggested that he was impatient and took fleshly initiative like his grandfather (cf. Genesis 12:10-20; Genesis 16; Genesis 20). Note, however, that Moses blamed Esau, not Jacob, in this event ( Genesis 25:34).
"How often do we put the question to ourselves, "What is my mess of pottage?" It is important to verbalize the question. We are in constant danger of being tempted to give up something very precious in order to indulge a sudden strong desire. The desire may involve greedy eating and drinking, lusting after money or material things, letting loose our anger in abandonment of reason, succumbing to depression without check, cursing God in despair or disappointment without even thinking of the trap Satan set for Job and is setting for us, giving in to a sweeping sexual desire without waiting for the right framework. The mess of pottage that is dangerous to you and to me is any temptation to gratify the "feelings" of the immediate moment in a way that shows we "despise" the promises of the living God for our future." [10]
This section is a warning that profane (secular) people who live to satisfy their fleshly appetites will lose more valuable things of lasting spiritual worth. Christians who live for the present will not lose their salvation, but they will lose some of their eternal reward (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).