Genesis 27 > 15And Rebekah took the finest clothes in the house that belonged to > her older son Esau, and she put them on her younger son Jacob. 16She > also put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth > part of his neck. 17Then she handed her son Jacob the tasty food and > bread she had made. > > 18So Jacob went to his father and said, “My father.” > > “Here I am!” he answered. “Which one are you, my son?” > > 19Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as > you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may > bless me.” > > 20But Isaac asked his son, “How did you ever find it so quickly, my > son?” > > “Because the LORD your God brought it to me,” he replied. In the description above, Jacob and his mother clearly conspire to steal Esau's birthright blessing. We also remember that Jacob took advantage of Esau's hunger by selling him a pot of stew for his birthright prior to this. Jacob even lies when asked how he managed to get the game so soon telling his father that God provided it. 1. How does one reconcile that Jacob obtained the birthright with conspiracy, lies and deceit? In considering your answer note Isaiah 61...particularly Verses 10&11 > The Year of the LORD’s Favor (Luke 4:16–30) > > 1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, > > because the LORD has anointed Me > > to preach good news to the poor. > > He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, > > to proclaim liberty to the captives > > and freedom to the prisoners,a > > 2to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favorb > > and the day of our God’s vengeance, > > to comfort all who mourn, > > 3to console the mourners in Zion— > > to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, > > the oil of joy for mourning, > > and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. > > So they will be called oaks of righteousness, > > the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. > > 4They will rebuild the ancient ruins; > > they will restore the places long devastated; > > they will renew the ruined cities, > > the desolations of many generations. > > 5Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, > > and foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers. > > 6But you will be called the priests of the LORD; > > they will speak of you as ministers of our God; > > you will feed on the wealth of nations, > > and you will boast in their riches. > > 7Instead of shame, My people will have a double portion, > > and instead of humiliation, they will rejoice in their share; > > and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, > > and everlasting joy will be theirs. > > 8For I, the LORD, love justice; > > I hate robbery and iniquity; > > in My faithfulness I will give them their recompense > > and make an everlasting covenant with them. > > 9Their descendants will be known among the nations, > > and their offspring among the peoples. > > All who see them will acknowledge > > that they are a people the LORD has blessed. > > > 10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, > > > > my soul will exult in my God; > > > > for He has clothed me with garments of salvation > > > > and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness And the description Paul gives us in Hebrews chapter 4:16 > 16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may > obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. There seems to be a similarity there, Jacob covered his true identity with skins and the saved do the same in the judgement. However Jacob doeent appear to me to have walked in boldly before his father...he was terrified he might be found out! Also, after the blessing was given and the deception revealed, Jacob spent many years in excile fearing for his life...he was worried his brother would find him and kill him. It seems to me that the blessing did not serve any purpose for Jacob until he recieved the forgiveness of his brother many years later (God changed his name to Israel around that time). Given the above, how do we reconcile that Jacob clearly engaged in sinful behaviour in order to recieve the promise of salvation and thatin the example given in Hebrews, a little trickery is still manifest in that we take on those same sheep skins seemingly to hide our true nature and obtain grace?

I'm new to the website, but found the discussion of birthright to be edifying and certainly consistent with church history. In relation to @pehkay's statement, "Furthermore, in the New Testament the birthright is shifted from Israel to the church" in that discussion, my question is this: *Is the shifting of the birthright from Israel to the Church, of God or of man, and how does Scripture support your answer?*

We read in Hebrews 12:16 : > See to it that no one becomes like Esau, an immoral and godless person, who sold his birthright for a single meal. Gen 25:29-34 tells us how Jacob "bought" the birthright due to Esau: > Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom. Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 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. Gen 27 further gives a full account of how Isaac, old and weak in the eyes, was deceived by Jacob into believing that he was Esau. As such, Genesis gives a picture of Esau as a simpleton who would sell his precious birthright for a cup of stew, but not as someone who was immoral and godless. My question therefore is: Why does the author of Hebrews picture Esau as an immoral and godless person? Inputs from any denomination are welcome.

Jacob had twelve sons, the firstborn of whom was Reuben. Yet, the birthright that should have passed on to Reuben did not due to Reuben's sin against his father (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). Naturally, one would assume that the next in line would be Simeon, the second-oldest. It did not pass to Simeon either. In fact, Jacob passes over all of his sons until he gets to Joseph. Now, he essentially passes on the birthright and blessing to Ephraim, the younger of Joseph's sons. I have a few questions regarding this. First, why does Jacob pass the birthright to Joseph's sons, and not Joseph himself? In fact, before doing so, why does Jacob essentially say that Joseph's sons are now considered to be his sons? What is the meaning of this? Second, what is the significance of choosing Ephraim, the younger, over Manasseh, the older? Finally, even though Ephraim has the birthright, the lineage of Jesus comes through Judah. Why then, does the birthright not pass to Judah? Why is there a disconnect between this birthright and the importance of Judah in Jesus' lineage?

I read long ago in the Open Bible as a note, that birth rights were actually a physical carved token that Jacob tricked Esau out of, I guess a registered icon with the powers that be. Is this true? It's never mentioned anyone else. It seems to make sense to me, as Esau could've lied to this father, even though he swore to Jacob. He couldn't do this if the supposed birthright token was transferred to Jacob. Perhaps the bible version I read was incorrect... would be interesting to find out for sure.

Genesis 25:29-34 tells the story about Esau selling his birthright because he is hungry and despised it. > And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 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. Why did he (Esau) despise his birthright? Is there a good Christian commentary that explains what "despised" means, and why Esau would have despised it?

What, specifically, did Esau lose when he lost the birthright, and what did Jacob gain? What did the birthright represent, and why was it so highly prized by Jacob?