Genesis 25:31 kjv

And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

Genesis 25:31 nkjv

But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day."

Genesis 25:31 niv

Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."

Genesis 25:31 esv

Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now."

Genesis 25:31 nlt

"All right," Jacob replied, "but trade me your rights as the firstborn son."

Genesis 25 verses

Genesis 25 31 Meaning

Genesis 25:31 captures Jacob's audacious proposition to his older twin brother Esau, seizing a moment of extreme vulnerability. As Esau returned famished from the field, Jacob demanded the immediate sale of Esau's birthright in exchange for a simple bowl of food. This verse sets the stage for a pivotal transaction, revealing Jacob's shrewd, opportunistic nature and laying the groundwork for Esau's profound undervaluation of his sacred inheritance.

Genesis 25 31 Context

Genesis chapter 25 details the early lives of Jacob and Esau, born to Isaac and Rebekah after years of barrenness. Even in the womb, their struggle was noted, leading to God's prophecy that "the older shall serve the younger" (Gen 25:23). This divine decree subtly sets the background for the narrative. Esau emerges as a skilled hunter, a man of the field, associated with rugged masculinity and immediate desires. Jacob is presented as a "quiet man" (Gen 25:27, ESV) who stayed among the tents, implying a more contemplative or domestic nature.

The immediate context of verse 31 is Esau's return from hunting, utterly exhausted and ravenous. He pleads with Jacob for some of the "red stew," indicating his immediate physical need overshadows all other concerns. Jacob, ever shrewd, perceives this moment of profound vulnerability and sees an opportunity to advance the divine prophecy concerning his supremacy. He demands Esau's invaluable birthright as the price for sustenance, revealing a calculating and opportunistic character who seeks to secure through human cunning what God had already promised by divine decree. This encounter is crucial as it defines the diverging paths and characters of the brothers, culminating in a transaction that shapes their future and the destiny of their descendants, Israel and Edom.

Genesis 25 31 Word analysis

• And Jacob (וַיַּעֲקֹב, va-Ya'akov): "Jacob" derives from a root meaning "to seize the heel" or "to supplant/deceive." This name is remarkably prescient and central to his character and actions. Here, he acts in perfect alignment with his given name, grasping an opportunity to displace or supplant his elder brother. This moment deeply informs his identity throughout the Pentateuch.
• said (וַיֹּאמֶר, va-yomer): A standard verb for speaking, but in this context, it marks the initiation of Jacob's manipulative proposition, not a simple statement.
• "Sell me today" (מִכְרָה כַיּוֹם, mikhrah kha-yom):
  • "Sell me" (מִכְרָה, mikhrah): An imperative from the root makar (to sell). This word explicitly introduces the commercial nature of the exchange. Jacob proposes a direct transaction, reducing the sacred, intangible value of the birthright to a commodity for sale.
  • "today" (כַיּוֹם, kha-yom): This temporal adverb emphasizes immediacy and urgency. Jacob leverages Esau's desperate, immediate hunger. It signifies an impulsive, shortsighted exchange where a future, highly significant inheritance is traded for instant gratification, highlighting Esau's lack of foresight and value system.
• "your birthright" (אֶת־בְּכֹרָתְךָ, 'et-b'khoratkha):
  • "Birthright" (בְּכֹרָה, b'khorah): This term signifies the right of the firstborn (primogeniture). In ancient Near Eastern cultures, this was a highly significant privilege, often including: a double portion of the inheritance (Deu 21:17), the headship of the family, and the spiritual mantle, which in Abraham's lineage meant inheriting the covenant promises with God (Gen 12:1-3, Gen 17:1-8). To "sell" it implied relinquishing all these multi-faceted privileges, making Esau's subsequent action an act of profound spiritual profanity.

Words-group analysis:

• "And Jacob said, 'Sell me today your birthright.'": This entire statement is Jacob's direct and calculated challenge. It reveals his understanding of the cultural significance of the birthright and his determination to acquire it. The phrasing captures the opportunistic power dynamic: Jacob makes the offer when Esau is most vulnerable, turning the immediate physical need into a tool for achieving his long-term goal. It encapsulates a defining moment of human interaction – exploiting another's weakness for personal gain – set against the backdrop of divine foreordination. The demand for the birthright "today" underscores Jacob's ruthlessness and Esau's immediate, unthinking consent (v. 32). This is not a negotiation, but a stark, transactional ultimatum.

Genesis 25 31 Bonus section

The exchange initiated in Genesis 25:31 foreshadows the ongoing spiritual tension between carnal appetite and spiritual commitment that runs through the entire Bible. Esau's "profane" valuation sets him as a type of person who is worldly-minded, trading away eternal for temporal comforts. This motif recurs throughout scripture, from the Israelites desiring the foods of Egypt over the Promised Land, to believers today choosing material prosperity over spiritual discipline. The divine promise to Rebekah (Gen 25:23) indicates that while Jacob's method was humanly flawed and manipulative, the outcome was providentially aligned with God's pre-determined choice for the elder to serve the younger. This doesn't endorse Jacob's deception but highlights God's sovereignty working even through imperfect means to bring about His purposes, thereby placing more emphasis on Esau's despisement of the birthright (Gen 25:34) than Jacob's questionable means of acquisition.

Genesis 25 31 Commentary

Genesis 25:31 presents a pivotal and often debated moment in biblical history. It exposes the contrasting natures of Jacob and Esau, demonstrating how an immediate physical desire (Esau's hunger) was leveraged against a profound, long-term spiritual inheritance (the birthright). Jacob, named "the supplanter," lives up to his name by recognizing and exploiting Esau's intense physical need. He demands something of immense, generational value for something transient and temporary. This interaction highlights not only Jacob's cunning and perhaps manipulative nature but also, more critically, Esau's spiritual shortsightedness. Esau's ready consent to sell his birthright (recorded in the following verses) marks him as one who despises God's promises and prefers temporal comfort over eternal privilege. The New Testament writers, particularly in Hebrews 12:16, view Esau's actions here as an example of unholiness and profanity, a cautionary tale against forfeiting one's spiritual inheritance for fleeting worldly gratifications. This verse ultimately emphasizes the stark difference between those who value immediate desires and those who, even with flawed methods, seek a spiritual inheritance and future blessings. It showcases God's mysterious ways, often working through imperfect human vessels to fulfill His sovereign plan, as already prophesied about the elder serving the younger.