“Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ . . . Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?'” Genesis 25:30-32

The story of Esau, selling his birthright to Jacob,  leads many  modern commentators to refer to the trickery of Jacob. Yet the scripture writer has nothing to say about that, but rather emphasizes how little Esau valued his birthright. “Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” Genesis 25:34

In the ancient world, the oldest son was given the birthright. It included a larger share of the inheritance, along with status in the household. Through the oldest son, the family line would continue. There were no exceptions when twin boys were born (to say nothing of  girls born first in the family). 

The unfairness of the law must have grated on Jacob. Only minutes separated their births, yet he was not considered equal to his brother. Was Jacob fuming about the injustice, while he cooked his savory lentil stew? Or did it just leap into his mind when Esau fresh from a hunting trip, demanded some of  Jacob’s stew, instead of going the rest of the way to camp and eating there?    Jacob refuses to feed Esau  until he sells him his Birthright. 

For Esau, letting go of his Birthright seemed trivial at the moment, when hunger and savory stew met his wants. Only later, would he realize what he had given up.

Much of life is learning to value the important, which cannot be replaced. Knowing the difference between wants and needs is a source of wisdom. Cherishing and honoring the precious is where wisdom leads.