Esau sells his Birthright (xxiv. 1-7)

p. 133

Isaac at the Well of Vision: Esau sells his Birthright (xxiv. 1-7; cf. Gen. xxv. 11, 29-34).

XXIV. And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that the Lord blessed Isaac his son, and he arose from Hebron and went and dwelt at the Well of the Vision ¹ in the first year of the third week of this jubilee, seven years. 2. And in the

2073 A.M.

first year of the fourth week a famine began in

2080 A.M.

the land, besides the first famine, which had been in the days of Abraham. ² 3. And Jacob sod lentil pottage, and Esau came from the field hungry. And he said to Jacob his brother: "Give me of this red pottage." ³ And Jacob said to him: "Sell to me thy [primogeniture, this] birthright and I will give thee bread, and also some of this lentil pottage." 4. And Esau said in his heart: "I shall die; of what profit to me is this birthright?" And he said to Jacob: "I give it to thee." 5. And Jacob said "Swear to me, this day," and he sware unto him. 6. And Jacob gave his brother Esau bread and pottage, and he ate till he was satisfied, and Esau despised his birthright; for this reason was Esau's name called Edom, ⁴ on account of the red pottage which Jacob gave him for his birthright. 7. And Jacob became the elder, and Esau was brought down from his dignity.

Footnotes

133:1 i.e. Beer-lahai-roi ("the well of the Living One that seeth me"); Gen. xxv. iii.

133:2 Cf. Gen. xxvi. 11.

133:3 Cf. Gen. xxv. 30.

133:4 Edom = "red."