A Daily Genesis

Genesis 25:29-31

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[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 25:29 . . Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished.[/B]

I guess Esau never heard of the Boy Scouts' motto: Be prepared. Well . . next time, maybe he'll be a little more careful to fill his ALICE pack with some LRRP rations before going out in the boonies.

The word for "stew" is from [I]naziyd[/I] (naw-zeed') which means: something boiled, e.g. soup. According to Gen 25:34, one of the ingredients in Jacob's soup was lentils: a type of flat, round seed related to the pea and is eaten as a vegetable.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†. [/COLOR]Gen 25:30a . . And Esau said to Jacob: Give me some of that red stuff to gulp down, for I am famished[/B]

The word for "red" (stuff) is from '[I]adom[/I] (aw-dome') which means: rosy.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 25:30b . . which is why he was named Edom.[/B]

Edom is from [I]'Edom[/I] (ed-ome') or possibly [I]'Edowm[/I] (ed-ome') which mean: red. 'Edom and 'Edowm are derived from 'adom; the word for rosy.

I actually knew a man when I was a kid whose nick-name was Rose; and who hasn't heard of the pro footballer Rosey Grier?

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 25:31 . . Jacob said: First sell me your birthright.[/B]

The birthright consists of two distinct components. One is material, and the other is spiritual. If Israel's covenanted law can be used as a guideline in this instance, then the holder of the birthright (which is transferable) is entitled to twice the amount of material inheritance given to his siblings. (Deut 21:15-17)

But Jacob isn't asking for Esau's material birthright; it's the spiritual one that he's after. Jacob wanted very much to be the family's next patriarch; and no doubt Rebecca wanted him too.

The position of patriarch carries heavy responsibilities. If Esau was to rule over the family, then he would be responsible to provide for them both materially and spiritually. Abraham was a very successful patriarch in both respects, but most especially in the spiritual.

It was the patriarch's duty to build, and officiate at, the family's altar; just as Abraham had done all those years (cf. Job 1:5). It was also the patriarch's duty to dispense the knowledge God and make sure it was carried forward in the family so as to prevent its loss to future generations (cf. Gen 18:19). I think what Jacob was really after was the inspiration that came with being the spiritual patriarch. (cf. Gen 20:7)

As far as Esau was concerned, the material aspect of his birthright was all that mattered. He was totally secular and cared nothing at all for his spiritual birthright. On the other hand, Jacob dearly longed for the spiritual aspect-- the material part being only incidental.

No doubt the two brothers had discussed these very things over the years so that Jacob already knew exactly how Esau felt about it. So that, half in jest, and probably half in disgust, he proposed that Esau barter his spiritual birthright for food. Being a secular man entirely dominated by carnal appetites: Esau accepted.

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