New Living Translation
Genesis 25:34
34Then 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus 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.
Context of Genesis 25:34
32“Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?” 33But 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. 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.
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 8:15So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.
- Isaiah 22:13But instead, you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
- 1 Corinthians 15:32And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus—if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
- Psalms 106:24The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them.
- Zechariah 11:13And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord.
- Matthew 22:5But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business.
- Matthew 26:15and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.
- Luke 14:18But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’
- Acts 13:41‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’”
- Philippians 3:18For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
- Hebrews 12:16Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son 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
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