Jacob, Esau, and Stew

[Sleeping in EQ]

Setting aside the textual issues...

Esau always gets the brunt end of the stew story. I am amazed that few people remark that Jacob comes out of this story seeming like a slimy character.

Sure, Esau was foolish to trade his birthright for stew. But what does it say about Jacob that he would try to weedle his brother out of a birthright like this?

Nothing good. And don't even get me started on Rebekah's favoritism and the ole' switcheroo on the blind Isaac in Genesis 27.

The soap opera quality does make for interesting reading, though.

Genesis 25:29-34 (NRSV):

29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" (Therefore he was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright." 32 Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" 33 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.