SEV Biblia, Chapter 25:31
Y Jacob respondió: Véndeme hoy en este día tu primogenitura.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:31
Verse 31. Sell me this day thy birthright.] What the hrjb bechorah or birthright was, has greatly divided both ancient and modern commentators. It is generally supposed that the following rights were attached to the primogeniture: 1. Authority and superiority over the rest of the family. 2.
A double portion of the paternal inheritance. 3. The peculiar benediction of the father. 4. The priesthood, previous to its establishment in the family of Aaron. Calmet controverts most of these rights, and with apparent reason, and seems to think that the double portion of the paternal inheritance was the only incontestable right which the first-born possessed; the others were such as were rather conceded to the first-born, than fixed by any law in the family. However this may be, it appears, 1. That the first-born were peculiarly consecrated to God, Exod. xxii. 29. 2. Were next in honour to their parents, chap. xlix. 3. 3. Had a double portion of their father's goods, Deut. xxi. 17. 4. Succeeded him in the government of the family or kingdom, 2 Chronicles xxi. 3. 5. Had the sole right of conducting the service of God, both at the tabernacle and temple; and hence the tribe of Levi, which was taken in lieu of the first-born, had the sole right of administration in the service of God, Num. viii. 14-18; and hence we may presume, had originally a right to the priesthood previous to the giving of the law; but however this might have been, afterwards the priesthood is never reckoned among the privileges of the first-born. That the birthright was a matter of very great importance, there can be no room to doubt; and that it was a transferable property, the transaction here sufficiently proves.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 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 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 goods did not descend to Jacob and was not meant in this proposal. But it includeth the futur possession of the land of Canaan by his children's children, and the covenant made with Abraham as to Christ the promised Seed. Believin Jacob valued these above all things; unbelieving Esau despised them Yet although we must be of Jacob's judgment in seeking the birth-right we ought carefully to avoid all guile, in seeking to obtain even the greatest advantages. Jacob's pottage pleased Esau's eye. "Give me some of that red;" for this he was called Edom, or Red. Gratifying the sensual appetite ruins thousands of precious souls. When men's heart walk after their own eyes, Job 31:7, and when they serve their ow bellies, they are sure to be punished. If we use ourselves to den ourselves, we break the force of most temptations. It cannot be supposed that Esau was dying of hunger in Isaac's house. The word signify, I am going towards death; he seems to mean, I shall never liv to inherit Canaan, or any of those future supposed blessings; and what signifies it who has them when I am dead and gone. This would be the language of profaneness, with which the apostle brands him, Heb 12:16 and this contempt of the birth-right is blamed, ver. #(34). It is the greatest folly to part with our interest in God, and Christ, an heaven, for the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world; it is a bad a bargain as his who sold a birth-right for a dish of pottage. Esa ate and drank, pleased his palate, satisfied his appetite, and the carelessly rose up and went his way, without any serious thought, or any regret, about the bad bargain he had made. Thus Esau despised his birth-right. By his neglect and contempt afterwards, and by justifyin himself in what he had done, he put the bargain past recall. People ar ruined, not so much by doing what is amiss, as by doing it and no repenting of it __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 יעקב 3290 מכרה 4376 כיום 3117 את 853 בכרתך׃ 1062
