27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter,(A) a man of the open country,(B) while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,(C) loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.(D)

29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew,(E) Esau came in from the open country,(F) famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew!(G) I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.[a])(H)

31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.(I)

32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”

33 But Jacob said, “Swear(J) to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright(K) to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.(L) He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:30 Edom means red.

27 As the boys were growing up, Esau became skilled at hunting and was a man of the outdoors, but Jacob was the quiet type who tended to stay indoors. 28 Isaac loved Esau, because he loved to hunt, while Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau happened to come in from being outdoors, and he was feeling famished.

30 Esau told Jacob, “Let me gobble down some of this red stuff, since I’m starving.” (That’s how Esau got his nickname “Edom”.)[a]

31 But Jacob responded, “Sell me your birthright. Do it now.”[b]

32 “Look! I’m about to die,” Esau replied. “What good is this birthright to me?”

33 But Jacob insisted, “Swear it by an oath right now.” So he swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some of his food, along with some boiled stew. So Esau ate, drank, got up, and left, after having belittled his own birthright.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:30 The Heb. name Edom means red
  2. Genesis 25:31 Lit. today