Editing Esau (section)

===Birthright===
[[File:Esau and Jacob Presented to Isaac.jpg|thumb|right|340px|Esau and Jacob Presented to Isaac (painting circa 1779–1801 by [[Benjamin West]])]]
In Genesis, Esau returned to his twin brother Jacob, famished from the fields. He begs Jacob to give him some "red pottage" (a play on his nickname, ''Edom''.) This refers to his red hair.<ref name="Bibleref|Genesis|25:25|NASB"/> Jacob offers Esau a bowl of [[lentil]] stew ({{Langx|he|נְזִיד עֲדָשִׁ֔ים|nəziḏ ʿəḏāšim|link=no}}) in exchange for Esau's birthright ({{Langx|he|בְּכֹרָה|bəḵorā|link=no}}), the right to be recognized as firstborn son with authority over the family, and Esau agrees. Thus Jacob acquires Esau's birthright. This is the origin of the English phrase "to sell one's birthright for a [[mess of pottage]]".

In {{Bibleref|Genesis|27:1–40|JPS}}, Jacob uses deception, motivated by his mother [[Rebekah]], to lay claim to his blind father Isaac's blessing that was inherently due to the firstborn, Esau.

In {{Bibleref|Genesis|27:5–7|JPS}}, Rebekah is listening while Isaac speaks to his son Esau. When Esau goes to the field to hunt for venison to bring home, Rebekah says to her son Jacob, "Behold, I heard thy father speak to thy brother Esau, saying: 'Bring me venison and prepare a savory food, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.{{'"}} Rebekah then instructs Jacob in an elaborate deception through which Jacob pretends to be Esau, in order to steal from Esau his blessing from Isaac and his inheritance—which in theory Esau had already agreed to give to Jacob. Jacob follows through with the plan to steal his brother's birthright by bringing the meal his father Isaac requested and pretending to be Esau. Jacob pulled off his disguise by covering himself in hairy kid goat skin so that when his blind father went to touch him, his smooth skin did not give him away as an imposter of his hairy brother. Jacob successfully received his father Isaac's blessing ({{Bibleref|Genesis|27:27-29|JPS}}). As a result, Jacob became the spiritual leader of the family after Isaac's death, and the heir of the promises of Abraham ({{Bibleref|Genesis|27:37|JPS}}).

When Esau learns of his brother's thievery, he is livid and begs his father to undo the blessing. Isaac responds to his eldest son's plea by saying that he only had one blessing to give and that he could not reverse the sacred blessing. Esau is furious and vows to kill Jacob ({{Bibleref|Genesis|27:41|JPS}}). Once again Rebekah intervenes to save her younger son from being murdered by his elder twin brother, Esau.

Therefore, at Rebekah's urging, Jacob flees to a distant land, Paddan-aram (towards [[Harran]]) to work for his uncle [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]] ({{Bibleref|Genesis|28:5|JPS}}). Jacob does not immediately receive his father's inheritance after the impersonation aimed at taking it from Esau. Having fled for his life, Jacob has left the wealth of Isaac's flocks, land and tents in Esau's hands. Jacob is forced to sleep out on the open ground and then work for wages as a servant in Laban's household. Jacob, who had deceived and cheated his brother, is in turn deceived and cheated by his uncle. Jacob asks to marry Laban's daughter Rachel, whom he has met at the well, and Laban agrees, if Jacob will give him seven years of service. Jacob does so, but after the wedding finds that beneath the veil is not Rachel but Leah, Laban's elder daughter. He agrees to work another seven years and Jacob and Rachel are finally wed. However, despite Laban, Jacob eventually becomes so rich as to incite the envy of Laban and Laban's sons.

[[File:Francesco Hayez 061.jpg|thumb|[[Francesco Hayez]]: ''Esau and Jacob reconcile'' (1844)]]
{{Bibleref|Genesis|32–33|JPS}} tells of Jacob's and Esau's eventual reconciliation. Jacob sends multiple waves of gifts to Esau as they approach each other, hoping that Esau will spare his life. Esau refuses the gifts, as he is now very wealthy and does not need them. Jacob bows down before Esau and insists on his receiving the gifts. Esau shows forgiveness in spite of this bitter conflict. He then asks Jacob to follow him to the South but Jacob decides later to move to the North.