Genesis 25:27-34
Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons---Esau and Jacob. Esau was the first born and thus would inherit more than Jacob. Jacob cooked some stew and Esau came in from the field famished. He said to Jacob,” Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff for I am famished.” Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright”. Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so what use then is the birthright to me?” So Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank, and rose and went on his way.
The birthright of the elder son assured him a double share of his father’s inheritance (see Deuteronomy 21:17). So Jacob now had Esau’s inheritance. According to the Jewish Talmud, the brothers were 15 years old at this time, and this is said to have happened on the day that their grandfather Abraham died. Lentil stew was a mourner’s meal for the Jews, so the stew was meant for Isaac.
That must have been a very enticing aroma from that lentil stew for Esau to have been so focused on food that he gave up his inheritance. What was he thinking? Was Jacob was just plain greedy? Another question arises. Had Jacob planned this---premeditated---or did it just happen to happen on that day?
Think about your motives. Are you greedy or gullible? Are you famished for stew or for spiritual food?
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