Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob, because Esau brought to his father
that which he had killed in his hunting; but Rebekah liked Jacob,
because she saw that he was wise and careful in his work.

Among the people in those lands, when a man dies, his older son receives
twice as much as the younger of what the father has owned. This was
called his "birthright," for it was his right as the oldest born. So
Esau, as the older, had a "birthright" to more of Isaac's possessions
than Jacob. And besides this, there was the privilege of the promise of
God that the family of Isaac should receive great blessings.



THE SALE OF A BIRTHRIGHT

Now Esau, when he grew up, did not care for his birthright or the
blessing which God had promised. But Jacob, who was a wise man, wished
greatly to have the birthright which would come to Esau when his father
died. Once, when Esau came home, hungry and tired from hunting in the
fields, he saw that Jacob had a bowl of something that he had just
cooked for dinner. And Esau said:

"Give me some of that red stuff in the dish. Will you not give me some?
I am hungry."

[Illustration: _"Sell me your birthright"_]

And Jacob answered, "I will give it to you, if you will first of all
sell to me your birthright."