Bible Questions and Answers

Why was Jacob accused of stealing his brother's birthright? Didn't Esau himself negotiate the transfer of his birthright to Jacob for a plate of food?

Genesis 27:36 And Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"

Using Strong’s Concordance: Took away <03947> לקח laqach a primitive root; v; Translated in the King James Version – ‘take’ 747 times, ‘receive’ 61 times, ‘take away’ 51 times, ‘fetch’ 31 times, ‘bring’ 25 times, ‘get’ 6 times, ‘take out’ 6 times, ‘carry away’ 5 times, ‘married’ 4 times, ‘buy’ 3 times, misc 26 times.

From this we can see that the word is not used for stealing. Esau was annoyed about it, but he was the one at fault for putting so little value upon his birthright. Jacob took advantage of Esau to obtain his birthright, but he did not steal it. See Genesis 25:19-34

It is a common human failing to blame others for our own shortcomings and foolish decisions. The writer to the Hebrews comments:

Hebrews 12:16,17 ...lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn