Esau – The Man Who Sold His Birthright

And Jacob boiled soup. And Esau came from the field, and he was faint.

And Esau said to Jacob, I beg you, Let me eat of the red, this red soup, for I am faint. Therefore his name was called Edom.

And Jacob said, Sell me your birthright today.

And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of dying, and what profit shall this birthright be to me?

And Jacob said, Swear to me this day. And he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and soup of lentils. And he ate and drank, and rose up and went his way. And Esau despised his birthright.

(Genesis 25: 29-34)

 

(Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he did not find any place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears).

(Hebrews 12: 16- 17)

 

Only loss teaches us the value of things:
(Arthur Schopenhauer)

 

This week’s lesson is about knowing your worth… and the value that you have. The above quote could be translated in today’s terminology as:

 

You never miss the water till the well runs dry

Or

You never know what you’ve got till it’s gone

 

That was the lesson that Esau would learn. As the oldest child the bulk of Isaac’s wealth would go to Esau that was understood by all. It was his right of birth of being the firstborn… it was his birthright.

 

Jacob knew this.

 

Jacob knew the value of the birthright.

 

Esau however seemed to think very little of his birthright.

 

…what profit shall this birthright be to me?

 

In the New Testament Jesus tells the story of the ten talents. Like Esau the servant with one talent did not realise the value of that talent and while Esau gave his talent (birthright) away, the servant buried his.

 

Therefore take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents. (Matthew 25:28)

 

Both would lose that which they once had because they place no value on what it was or on what it could bring. Do you have a talent or ability that you think is not worth having. Esau looked at the fact that he was hungry and decided that a meal today was better than a blessing tomorrow. Why should he have to wait for his father to die when it could take years for it to happen, when he could have a filling meal now?

 

So he gave away his future for a bowl of soup.

 

There was another young man who gave away his future and ended up in a pig sty eating the food of pigs. He however came to his senses and even though he had spent that which would have been left to him at his father’s death, his father still welcomed him home with open arms.

 

There are two main lessons to be learnt here.

 

1. Esau didn’t understand the value of his birthright:

As the oldest son Esau would have inherited the bulk of Isaac’s wealth. This would have included, cattle, sheep, monies, as well as servants. His younger brother would have been expected to follow him. He would have been acknowledged as the head of the house with all the rights and privileges that went with the position. Remember their grandfather Abraham had been a very wealthy man. This was seen when he sent a servant to get a wife for his son Isaac:

 

And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.
And Jehovah has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great. And He has given him flocks and herds and silver and gold, and male slaves and slave women, and camels and asses.
(Genesis 24:34-35)

 

And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
(Genesis 24:53)

 

Note that Abraham had at least eight sons – Ishmael by Hagar (Genesis 15:16), Isaac by Sarah (Genesis 21:2), and Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah by Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2). Yet before he died Abraham gave gifts to his sons by his wife Keturah and the other concubines that he was involved with and then sent them away from Isaac who would inherit all his wealth (Genesis 25:5-6). Isaac, who would have been a very wealthy young man at the death of his father, then went on and increased his wealth even more.

 

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a hundredfold. And Jehovah blessed him.
And the man became great. And he went forward and grew until he grew very great.
And he had possession of flocks and possession of herds, and many servants. And the Philistines envied him.
(Genesis 26:12-14)

 

Remember what the ruler said to the man with one talent who hid it?

 

For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will abound. But from him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him. (Matthew 25:29)

 

Esau’s despising of his birthright showed his poor reasoning, which would show up again when the time came for him to marry. Instead of seeking his father’s help in choosing a wife, as Abraham had done when choosing Isaac’s wife Rebekah, Esau went and picked his own wives.

 

And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; …who were a grief of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah. (Genesis 26:34-35) 

 

 

2. Jacob knew the value of the birthright

When comparing Esau’s view of the birthright to that of his brother Jacob, several scriptures come to mind:

 

Wise ones store up knowledge; but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin. (Proverbs 10:14)

 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)

 

Where there is no vision, the people perish; (Proverbs 29:18)

 

Jacob learnt and understood the value of the birthright and held that knowledge against the day that it could be used, while Esau spoke foolishly regarding the birthright and ended up losing it. The kingdom that Esau could have built was destroyed because of his lack of knowledge.

 

Jacob was called the trickster yet what is shown is that he was a smart man who sort after knowledge, and learnt how to use what he learnt to his benefit. Jacob knew that the birthright on its own would mean much without the blessing but rather than give up he sought his mother’s advice and ended up with both blessing and birthright leading him to gain everything. Yes he would have to run, but his ability to understand the value of things would aid him in later life when dealing with his uncle Laban and even dealing with Esau.

 

Jacob had knowledge and vision and used both to his advantage.

 

The Lesson of Esau

God has given every man a gift the question is will you despise it like Esau or desire it like Jacob.

 

Esau’s choice of food over birthright would lead God to say:

 

…and I hated Esau and made his mountains a desolation; and his inheritance to be for the jackals of the wilderness. (Malachi 1:3)

 

When Esau lost the blessing to Jacob he would finally understand what he had lost and yet even then he would seek to blame his brother rather than his own short-sightedness.

 

And he said, Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.

 

And he said, It is because his name is called Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing. And he said, Have you not reserved a blessing for me?

 

And Isaac answered and said to Esau, Behold! I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given him for servants. And with grain and wine I have supported him. And what shall I do now to you, my son?

 

And Esau said to his father, Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, me also, my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
And Isaac his father answered and said to him, Behold! Your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above.

 

And by your sword you shall live, and shall serve your brother. And it shall be when you shall have the dominion, you shall break his yoke from off your neck.

 

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.

(Genesis 27:35-41)

 

 

Take note of what is said and done between Isaac and Esau:

1. Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing – while Jacobs manner may have been deceitful, it was done based on his knowledge and vision both of which were lacking with Esau
2. He took away my birthright, …he has taken away my blessing – No Esau you gave away your birthright and Jacob took your blessing.
3. I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given him for servants – When Jacob should have been serving Esau because of his lack of vision, Esau would now serve Jacob.
4. By your sword you shall live, and shall serve your brother – there would be no escaping the fact that even after Isaac had given a blessing to Esau… he would still serve… not rule!

 

The Take Home

The story of Esau could be summed up this way, whatever skill talent ability that God has blessed you with… do not despise it. Use it to his glory and see what he will do with it. If you are not sure what to do then do what James says:

 

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it shall be given to him. (James 1:5)

 

Don’t be like Esau. Don’t lose the blessing that God has for you because you despise the gift he has given you.

 

Amen!

 

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
MARANATHA