Genesis 25:33 kjv
And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Genesis 25:33 nkjv
Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Genesis 25:33 niv
But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
Genesis 25:33 esv
Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Genesis 25:33 nlt
But Jacob said, "First you must swear that your birthright is mine." So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.
Genesis 25 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 25:29-32 | "Once when Jacob was cooking stew... Esau despised his birthright." | Immediate context: Esau's hunger, Jacob's shrewdness, Esau's contempt. |
| Gen 27:36 | "Has he not rightly named Jacob [Supplanter]? For he has supplanted me these two times." | Esau recognizes Jacob's character and his own loss of birthright. |
| Heb 12:16-17 | "Look carefully lest there be anyone who is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold..." | New Testament interpretation: Esau as an example of profaneness and lack of repentance. |
| Num 30:2 | "If a man makes a vow to the Lord... he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth." | The sanctity of oaths and vows in biblical law. |
| Deut 21:17 | "He shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion..." | The material aspect of the birthright: a double inheritance. |
| 1 Chr 5:1 | "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel... but his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph..." | Example of a birthright being transferred due to misconduct (Reuben's sin). |
| Gen 27:29 | "May peoples serve you... Be lord over your brothers..." | Blessing associated with the birthright: leadership and dominion. |
| Gen 27:41 | "Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him." | Esau's anger stemmed from Jacob taking the blessing, confirming he also lost the birthright. |
| Prov 13:3 | "Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin." | Principle: Rash words and commitments (like Esau's oath) can lead to ruin. |
| Prov 28:22 | "A man with a stingy eye hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him." | Foresight vs. shortsightedness. Esau's focus on immediate need. |
| Matt 16:26 | "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" | Theme of valuing spiritual/eternal over temporal, material gain. |
| Luke 12:16-21 | Parable of the rich fool who focuses on earthly possessions and disregards his soul. | Echoes Esau's misprioritization of temporal needs over lasting values. |
| Php 3:7-8 | "Whatever gain I had, I count as loss for the sake of Christ." | Paul's example of counting earthly gain as nothing for spiritual value. |
| Col 3:2 | "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." | Contrast between earthly desires and heavenly focus. |
| Matt 5:33-37 | "Do not take an oath at all... Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'..." | Jesus' teaching on oaths, reinforcing sincerity and truthfulness in speech. |
| Jas 5:12 | "Do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your 'yes' be yes..." | Further New Testament teaching on integrity in speech over formal oaths. |
| Exod 4:22 | "Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son..." | Israel, as a nation, embodies a "firstborn" status to God. |
| Jer 31:9 | "For I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." | Ephraim (northern Israel) sometimes symbolically called God's firstborn. |
| Rom 9:10-13 | "And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children... 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'" | Divine election: God's sovereign choice, irrespective of birth order or merit. |
| 1 Pet 1:3-5 | "Born again to a living hope through the resurrection... an inheritance that is imperishable..." | Spiritual inheritance (eternal life) contrasts with Esau's physical one. |
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will make of you a great nation... and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." | The ultimate spiritual promise tied to the birthright in Abraham's line. |
| Isa 65:11-12 | "But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune..." | Warning against those who prioritize material "fortune" over divine covenant. |
Genesis 25 verses
Genesis 25 33 Meaning
This verse formally seals the controversial agreement between Jacob and Esau, detailing Esau's solemn oath to Jacob that irrevocably transfers his birthright—the privileges, responsibilities, and spiritual inheritance of the firstborn son—in exchange for a meal. It marks the moment of Esau's willing, albeit shortsighted, relinquishment of his immense familial and spiritual legacy.
Genesis 25 33 Context
Genesis chapter 25 details the initial lives of Isaac's twin sons, Jacob and Esau, setting the stage for their contrasting characters and eventual destinies. Though Esau was the elder, and thus the natural inheritor of the firstborn's privileges and the patriarchal covenant blessings, the narrative immediately establishes a spiritual tension from their very conception (Gen 25:23). This particular verse follows Esau's desperate plea for food upon returning from a hunt, faint and famished. Jacob, ever shrewd and calculating, seizes upon his brother's weakness and profound hunger to demand the priceless birthright in exchange for a bowl of lentil stew. The context underscores Jacob's opportunistic nature and Esau's profound undervaluation of his sacred heritage and long-term future in favor of immediate gratification.
Genesis 25 33 Word analysis
- And Jacob said: "Wə-Yaʿaqov wayyoʾmer" (וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב). This phrase initiates the demand, placing agency on Jacob. "Yaʿaqov" (Jacob) means "he grasps the heel" or "supplanter," a name indicative of his nature as someone who takes by shrewdness or force, a trait vividly displayed here. It highlights Jacob's calculating approach, carefully considering how to benefit from the situation.
- 'Swear to me this day': "Hiššāveʿah li hayyom" (הִשָּׁבְעָה־לִּי הַיּוֹם).
- Swear: From the Hebrew root "šābaʿ" (שָׁבַע), meaning "to seven oneself," implying making a covenant or oath that is whole and binding, like seven units. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, oaths were solemn acts, often invoking divine witnesses and considered extremely binding and unbreakable. Jacob demanded this not just as a casual promise but as a legally and spiritually firm declaration. His insistence demonstrates his resolve to make the transaction irrevocable.
- to me: "li" (לִי), a direct, personal, and possessive demand.
- this day: "hayyom" (הַיּוֹם). Emphasizes immediate action and finality. It presses Esau to make an irreversible decision on the spot, preventing any future reconsideration or challenge. It locks Esau into his impulsive choice.
- and he swore to him: "Wayyiššāvaʿ lo" (וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ). This indicates Esau's compliance and the fulfillment of Jacob's demand. By taking the oath, Esau, in his desperation, fully committed to the transaction. His willingness to make such a solemn vow for a meal further illustrates his profound lack of discernment and disregard for the sacredness of both an oath and his inheritance.
- and sold his birthright to Jacob: "Wayyimkōr ʾet-bəḵorāto lə-Yaʿaqov" (וַיִּמְכֹּר אֶת־בְּכֹרָתוֹ לְיַעֲקֹב).
- sold: "Wayyimkōr" from "māḵar" (מָכַר), "to sell." This term implies a legal transaction, a formal exchange of ownership. It explicitly confirms the transfer of privilege from Esau to Jacob.
- his birthright: "bəḵorāto" (בְּכוֹרָה), the "bəḵorâ" or rights of the firstborn son. In ancient patriarchal societies, this was typically the senior heir, receiving a double portion of the inheritance, leadership of the family after the father's death, and crucially for Abraham's lineage, the spiritual blessing and covenant promises (Gen 12:2-3; 17:7). Esau's action highlights the immense value of what he carelessly forfeited for immediate gratification.
- to Jacob: "lə-Yaʿaqov". Explicitly names the recipient, cementing the transfer of this precious legacy.
Words-group analysis:
- "Swear to me this day"; and he swore to him": This tandem of command and immediate obedience powerfully contrasts Jacob's shrewd, calculating nature with Esau's thoughtless impulsivity. Jacob insists on formalizing the deal with a binding oath, while Esau rashly fulfills it, solidifying his abandonment of a future inheritance for present need.
- "and sold his birthright to Jacob": This concise phrase summarizes the gravity of the entire episode. It marks a foundational point in the family narrative, signifying the exchange of enduring spiritual and material blessing for temporary physical relief, establishing a recurring biblical theme of valuing eternal blessings over worldly gratifications.
Genesis 25 33 Bonus section
- The seemingly small "pottage of lentils" represents the deceptive allure of instant gratification compared to the true, lasting value of a spiritual inheritance.
- Esau's decision highlights a contrast between "physical desire" and "spiritual understanding." He embodies someone who lives only for the present, failing to grasp the long-term spiritual implications of his actions.
- The legal formality of the oath elevates the transaction from a simple agreement to a divinely witnessed and therefore irreversible renunciation of rights, emphasizing the solemnity of covenant language.
- The narrative serves as a warning against despising spiritual privileges and gifts, as neglecting them for temporal needs can lead to irreversible loss and regret, a theme reiterated in the New Testament (Heb 12:16-17).
Genesis 25 33 Commentary
Genesis 25:33 is a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, laying the groundwork for the future of Jacob and Esau, and indeed, the nation of Israel. Esau, driven by physical hunger and a lack of foresight, recklessly sells his birthright—an inheritance of immense spiritual and material value, including the Abrahamic covenant promises. Jacob, exhibiting cunning and a keen awareness of the birthright's significance, secures this coveted status through a formal oath. While Jacob's actions may appear deceptive or opportunistic, the text emphasizes Esau's contempt for his own sacred heritage (Gen 25:34) and serves as a divine commentary on valuing immediate physical satisfaction over spiritual inheritance. This narrative teaches profound lessons on valuing eternal things over temporal pleasures, the seriousness of vows, and God's sovereign hand working through imperfect human choices to fulfill His divine purposes, ultimately demonstrating His choice of Jacob over Esau (Rom 9:13) in the lineage of blessing.