25:31 But Jacob replied, “First 1 sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 2 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” 3 So Esau 4 swore an oath to him and sold his birthright 5 to Jacob.
1 tn Heb “today.”
2 tn Heb “And what is this to me, a birthright?”
3 tn Heb “Swear to me today.”
4 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 sn And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.