Genesis 25:34
New International Version
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

New Living Translation
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.

English Standard Version
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

King James Bible
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

New King James Version
And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

New American Standard Bible
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

NASB 1995
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

NASB 1977
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank and rose and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Amplified Bible
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. In this way Esau scorned his birthright.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.

American Standard Version
And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: so Esau despised his birthright.

Contemporary English Version
Jacob then gave Esau some bread and some of the bean stew, and when Esau had finished eating and drinking, he just got up and left, showing how little he thought of his rights as the first-born.

English Revised Version
And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: so Esau despised his birthright.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Jacob gave Esau a meal of bread and lentils. He ate and drank, and then he got up and left. This is how Esau showed his contempt for his rights as firstborn.

Good News Translation
Then Jacob gave him some bread and some of the soup. He ate and drank and then got up and left. That was all Esau cared about his rights as the first-born son.

International Standard Version
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.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

NET Bible
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. So Esau despised his birthright.

New Heart English Bible
Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way: thus Esau despised his birth-right.

World English Bible
Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Jacob has given bread and stew of lentils to Esau, and he eats, and drinks, and rises, and goes; and Esau despises the birthright.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jacob hath given to Esau bread and pottage of lentiles, and he eateth, and drinketh, and riseth, and goeth; and Esau despiseth the birthright.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jacob gave Esau food, and the boiling of lentiles; and he will eat and drink and will rise and go forth: and Esau will despise the birth-right.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And so taking bread and the pottage of lentils, he ate, and drank, and went his way; making little account of having sold his first birthright.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, taking bread and the food of lentils, he ate, and he drank, and he went away, giving little weight to having sold the right of the firstborn.

New American Bible
Jacob then gave him some bread and the lentil stew; and Esau ate, drank, got up, and went his way. So Esau treated his right as firstborn with disdain.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage; and he ate, and drank, and rose up and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yaquuv gave to Esau bread and stew of lentils to eat, and he ate and drank, and he stood and went; and Esau despised concerning the firstborn inheritance.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jacob gave bread to Esau, and pottage of lentiles; and he ate and drank, and he arose and departed; so Esau slighted his birthright.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Esau Sells His Birthright
33“Swear to me first,” Jacob said. So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright. 34Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Cross References
Hebrews 12:16-17
See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright. / For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.

Romans 9:10-13
Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. / Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, / not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ...

Malachi 1:2-3
“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved, / but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

Philippians 3:19
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

1 Corinthians 15:32
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Matthew 16:26
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Luke 16:25
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

2 Timothy 3:4
traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Proverbs 1:32
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

Proverbs 15:27
He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.

Ecclesiastes 8:15
So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.

Isaiah 22:13
But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

Jeremiah 6:13
“For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.

Ezekiel 16:49
Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy.


Treasury of Scripture

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

eat.

Ecclesiastes 8:15
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

Isaiah 22:13
And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

1 Corinthians 15:32
If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

thus Esau.

Psalm 106:24
Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

Zechariah 11:13
And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

Matthew 22:5
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

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Genesis 25
1. The sons of Abraham by Keturah.
5. The division of his goods.
7. His age, death, and burial.
11. God blesses Isaac.
12. The generations of Ishmael.
17. His age and death.
19. Isaac prays for Rebekah, being barren.
22. The children strive in her womb.
24. The birth of Esau and Jacob.
27. Their different characters and pursuits.
29. Esau sells his birthright.














Then Jacob gave Esau
The act of giving here is significant. Jacob, whose name means "supplanter" or "heel-grabber," is fulfilling his role in the divine narrative. The Hebrew root for "gave" is "nathan," which implies a deliberate and purposeful action. Jacob's giving is not just a simple transaction but a pivotal moment in the unfolding of God's covenantal promises. This act of giving is a precursor to the fulfillment of God's plan through Jacob, the chosen one, despite his deceptive means.

bread and lentil stew
The meal of bread and lentil stew is humble, yet it becomes the medium through which a significant spiritual exchange occurs. Bread, in biblical terms, often symbolizes sustenance and life. Lentils, a common food in the ancient Near East, represent the ordinary and mundane. The simplicity of the meal contrasts with the gravity of the birthright, highlighting Esau's shortsightedness. The Hebrew word for "lentil" is "adashim," which is derived from a root meaning "to boil." This boiling stew becomes a metaphor for Esau's boiling passions and impulsive nature.

He ate and drank
Esau's actions are described in a straightforward manner, emphasizing his focus on immediate gratification. The Hebrew verbs "akal" (ate) and "shatah" (drank) are used here, indicating a physical satisfaction that is fleeting. This phrase underscores the theme of physical desires overshadowing spiritual responsibilities. Esau's consumption is a metaphor for his disregard for the spiritual inheritance that comes with the birthright.

and then got up and went away
Esau's departure is abrupt, signifying his indifference to the transaction that just occurred. The Hebrew verb "qum" (got up) suggests a rising or standing, often used in contexts of decision-making or taking action. "Halak" (went away) implies a journey or a path taken. Esau's actions reflect a conscious choice to walk away from his spiritual heritage. This phrase highlights the transient nature of his decision, as he physically and spiritually distances himself from his birthright.

So Esau despised his birthright
The word "despised" is translated from the Hebrew "bazah," meaning to hold in contempt or to consider worthless. This strong term indicates Esau's profound disregard for the birthright, which in biblical times was not just a double portion of inheritance but a spiritual leadership role within the family. The birthright carried the promise of God's covenant, a sacred trust that Esau treated with disdain. This phrase encapsulates the moral and spiritual failure of Esau, serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of valuing temporal desires over eternal blessings.

(34) He did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way.--These words graphically describe Esau's complete indifference to the spiritual privileges of which he had denuded himself. There is no regret, no sad feeling that he had prolonged his life at too high a cost. And if Jacob is cunning, and mean in the advantage he took of his brother, still he valued these privileges, and in the sequel he had his reward and his punishment. He was confirmed in the possession of the birthright, and became the progenitor of the chosen race, and of the Messiah; but henceforward his life was full of danger and difficulty. He had to flee from his brother's enmity, and was perpetually the victim of fraud and the most cruel deceit. But gradually his character ripened for good. He ceased to be a scheming, worldly-minded Jacob, and became an Israel, and in his pious old age we see a man full of trust and faith in God, unworldly and unselfish, and animated by tender and loving feeling. Purified from his early infirmities, and with all his better nature strengthened and sanctified by sorrow, he shows himself worthy of his second name, and becomes "a prince with God."

Verse 34. - Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils. "Lentiles (עֲדָשִׁים; Ervum lens) were and are extensively and carefully grown in Egypt, Syria, and Palestine (2 Samuel 17:28; 2 Samuel 23:11); those of Egypt were, at a later period particularly famous; and the manner of cooking them is even immortalized on monuments" (Kalisch). "The lentil does not grow more than six or eight inches high, and is pulled like flax, not cut with the sickle, When green it resembles an incipient pea-vine, only the leaves are differently arranged, smaller and more delicate-somewhat like those of the mimosa, or sensitive plant" (Thomson, 'Land and Book,' p. 596). And he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. A graphic portrait of an utterly carnal mind, which lives solely in and for the immediate gratification of appetite. Thus Esau despised his birthright - and thus Scripture both proclaims his guilt and describes his offence.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Jacob
וְיַעֲקֹ֞ב (wə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

gave
נָתַ֣ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

some bread
לֶ֚חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

and lentil
עֲדָשִׁ֔ים (‘ă·ḏā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5742: A lentil

stew
וּנְזִ֣יד (ū·nə·zîḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5138: Something sodden or boiled, pottage

to Esau;
לְעֵשָׂ֗ו (lə·‘ê·śāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6215: Esau -- oldest son of Isaac

he ate
וַיֹּ֣אכַל (way·yō·ḵal)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

and drank,
וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ (way·yê·šət)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8354: To imbibe

and then got up
וַיָּ֖קָם (way·yā·qām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

and went away.
וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ (way·yê·laḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

Thus Esau
עֵשָׂ֖ו (‘ê·śāw)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6215: Esau -- oldest son of Isaac

despised
וַיִּ֥בֶז (way·yi·ḇez)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 959: To disesteem

his birthright.
הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ (hab·bə·ḵō·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1062: The firstling of man, beast, primogeniture


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OT Law: Genesis 25:34 Jacob gave Esau bread and stew (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 25:33
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