may render: some of that red seasoning (strictly 'obsonium').—'Ĕdōm]]
a play on the word for 'red' ((
Hebrew characters)). The name is
"a memento of the never-to-be-forgotten greed and stupidity
of the ancestor" (Gu.).—31. Jacob seizes the opportunity
to secure the long-coveted 'birthright,' i.e. the superior
status which properly belonged to the first-born son.
The rare term (Hebrew characters) denotes the advantages and rights usually
enjoyed by the eldest son, including such things as (a) natural vigour
of body and character (Gn. 493, Dt. 2117: (Hebrew characters)), creating a presumption
of success in life, (b) a position of honour as head of the
family (Gn. 2729 498), and (c) a double share of the inheritance (Dt.
2115ff.. By a legal fiction this status was conceived as transferable
from the actual first-born to another son who had proved himself more
worthy of the dignity (1 Ch. 51f.). When applied to tribes or nations,
it expresses superiority in political might or material prosperity; and
this is the whole content of the notion in the narrative before us. The
idea of spiritual privilege, or a mystic connexion (such as is suggested
in Heb. 1216f.) between the birthright and the blessing of ch. 27, is
foreign to the spirit of the ancient legends, which owe their origin to
ætiological reflexion on the historic relations of Israel and Edom.
The passage furnishes no support to the ingenious theory of Jacob's
(Bibl. Arch. 46 ff.), that an older custom of "junior right" is presupposed
by the patriarchal tradition.
32. Esau's answer reveals the sensual nature of the
man: the remoter good is sacrificed to the passing necessity
of the moment, which his ravenous appetite leads him to
exaggerate.—(Hebrew characters) does not mean 'exposed to death
sooner or later' (IEz. Di. al.), but 'at the point of death
now.'—34. The climax of the story is Esau's unconcern
even when he discovers that he has bartered the birthright
for such a trifle as a dish of lentil soup.—(Hebrew characters) (2 Sa. 1728,
2311, Ezk. 49), still a common article of diet in Egypt and
Syria, under the name 'adas: the colour is said to be 'a
darkish brown' (DB, iii. 95a).—The last clause implies a
certain moral justification of the transaction: if Esau was
defrauded, he was defrauded of that which he was incapable
of appreciating.
the first (Hebrew characters) after Ar. 'idām = 'seasoning or condiment for bread' (cf.
v.34): so Boysen (cited in Schleusner2, i. 969), T. D. Anderson (ap. Di.).
This is better than (Dri. al.) to make the change in both places, G ((Greek characters))
and V (de coctione hac rufa) seem to differentiate
the words.—31. (Hebrew characters)] = 'first of all,' as 33, 1 Sa. 216, 1 Ki. 151 225 (BDB, 400 b).
