English Standard Version
Genesis 25:34
34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Genesis 25:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.
Context of Genesis 25:34
32Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" 33Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Read all of Genesis 25Genesis 25:34 word by word
וְיַעֲקֹ֞ב נָתַ֣ן לְעֵשָׂ֗ו לֶ֚חֶם וּנְזִ֣יד עֲדָשִׁ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וַיִּ֥בֶז עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- Esauעֵשָׂו‛êώâv · EsauH6215
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- and pottageנָזִידnâzîyd · stewH5138
- of lentilesעֲדָשָׁה‛âdâsh · lentilH5742
- and he did eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- and drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- and rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and went his wayיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- despisedבָּזָהbâzâh · to despiseH959
- birthrightבְּכֹרָהbekôrâh bekôrâh · birthrightH1062
Cross-references for Genesis 25:34
- Ecclesiastes 8:15And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
- Isaiah 22:13and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
- 1 Corinthians 15:32What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
- Psalms 106:24Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.
- Zechariah 11:13Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter"—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.
- Matthew 22:5But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,
- Matthew 26:15and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
- Luke 14:18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.'
- Acts 13:41"'Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.'"
- Philippians 3:18For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
- Hebrews 12:16that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
Commentaries on Genesis 25:34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34Pottage of lentils - See note Genesis 25:29. Thus Esau despised his birthright - On this account the apostle, Hebrews 12:16, calls Esau a profane person, because he had, by this act, alienated from himself and family those spiritual offices connected with the rights of primogeniture. While we condemn Esau for this bad action, (for he should rather have perished than have alienated this right), and while we consider it as a proof that his mind was little…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19-34Verses 19-34 - LIII. Birth of Esau and Jacob 20. פדן padān Paddan, “plowed field;” related: “cut, plow.” 25. עשׂי ‛êśâv Esaw, “hairy, or made.” 26. יעקב ya‛ăqôb Ja‘aqob, “he shall take the heel.” 27. תם tām “perfect, peaceful, plain.” The epithet refers to disposition, and contrasts the comparatively civilized character of Jacob with the rude temper of Esau. 30. אדים 'ědôm Edom, “red.” The ninth document here begins with the usual phrase, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-34Verses 29-34 We have here the bargain made between Jacob and Esau about the right, which was Esau's by birth, but Jacob's by promise. It was for a spiritual privilege; and we see Jacob's desire of the birth-right, but he sought to obtain it by crooked courses, not like his character as a plain man. He was right, that he coveted earnestly the best gifts; he was wrong, that he took advantage of his brother's need. The inheritance of their father's worldly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33-34Esau quickly accepted what Jacob offered and fell into his trap. He ate and left so quickly that he could not have been close to death (25:32). The final comment in the passage explains that Esau treated his birthright with contempt, as if it had no value (Hebrews 12:16). It is foolish to give up spiritual blessings just to satisfy physical desires (compare Genesis 3:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-3419. these are the generations--account of the leading events in his life.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 25:34
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries