What did Esau sell his birthright for?
Esau sold his birthright for one morsel of food, the bowl of bean soup. He was immoral and profane, and he did not get upset over selling it. His problem was no faith, like Cain; he saw no significance in spiritual things and lightly traded spiritual privilege.
Les explains that Esau was immoral and profane, and for one morsel of food—the bowl of bean soup—he sold his birthright. It did not bother him at all, and he did not get uptight over it. Later, thirty-seven years afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing or the double portion, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Les suggests Esau hoped his father Isaac would change his mind through weeping and crying, but Isaac would not, because that was not the custom. Esau was also bewailing the fact that he had missed the birthright and the blessing. Les ties Esau’s problem to Cain: Cain had the same opportunity as Abel, but his problem was no faith; he saw no significance in what God said, and so it was with Esau, who saw no significance in spiritual things.