How old were Jacob and Esau when Jacob got the birthright?
Jacob and Esau were 24 years old when Jacob obtained the birthright by selling Esau a bowl of red bean soup. Scripture gives no indication that this transaction created enmity between them at that time, and Esau later married Canaanite women 16 years afterward, at age 40.
Les teaches that when Jacob and Esau were 24 years old, Jacob got the birthright by selling Esau a bowl of red bean soup. He explains that even though they were only 24, there was no enmity created from that birthright deal, and Scripture does not indicate they became enemies because of it. Then, 16 years after Jacob takes the birthright from Esau, Esau marries the Canaanite women, which was a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. Les says this shows the kind of man Esau was—a man destitute of faith who saw no importance in the birthright at age 24, intermingled with the pagan Canaanites, and finally married a couple of them at age 40. Les also notes it was 37 years from the time they were 24 and Jacob got the birthright until Jacob connived with his mother to get the blessing and had to flee.