The Bible describes Esau as a profane, immoral man who lacked faith, sold his birthright for a single meal, and was rejected when he later sought the blessing.
Hebrews 12:16–17 explicitly calls Esau a 'fornicator' and a 'profane person' who sold his birthright for one morsel of meat, and says he was rejected when he wanted the blessing, finding no place of repentance though he sought it with tears. Genesis 25:34 says he despised his birthright, and Genesis 26:34–35 records that his Hittite marriages were a grief to his parents.
Hebrews 12:16-17 — This is the key New Testament passage that directly evaluates Esau's character, calling him a fornicator and profane person.
Genesis 25:29-34 — This Old Testament account shows Esau despising his birthright by selling it for a meal.
Hebrews 12:16–17 explicitly describes Esau as a 'fornicator' and a 'profane person,' who 'for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.' The same passage goes on to say that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, 'he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.' In Genesis 25:29–34, Esau comes in from the field faint and exchanges his birthright to Jacob for bread and pottage of lentiles; the chapter closes by saying, 'Thus Esau despised his birthright.' Genesis 27:34 records that when Esau realized the blessing had been given to Jacob, 'he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry' and begged his father to bless him too. Genesis 26:34–35 adds that Esau's marriages to Hittite women 'were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.'
Les Feldick emphasizes that Esau's behavior was rooted in his being 'destitute of faith.' Because faith was absent, his behavior was affected: the birthright and its spiritual meaning meant nothing to him, and he glibly traded it for a bowl of bean soup. Les points out that Esau was not concerned about the spiritual birthright at all; what upset him was losing the material blessing, the double portion of herds and flocks. Les also stresses that even though Esau wept and sought the blessing carefully, he never understood why he was rejected, because he could not believe what God had said. In fact, Les says do not feel sorry for Esau—he deserved nothing, because he was without faith and was an immoral man, evidenced by his marriages among the Hittites and Canaanites.
Hebrews 12:16 warns against any 'fornicator' or 'profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.' Verse 17 adds that afterward, when Esau wanted to inherit the blessing, 'he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.' This is the most direct character evaluation of Esau in the New Testament.
Les Feldick explains that Esau was 'destitute of faith,' and that is why the birthright meant nothing to him. When Esau came in from hunting, exhausted and hungry, he 'glibly' gave up his spiritual birthright for a bowl of bean soup. His physical hunger was not the real problem—he was spiritually destitute, and what God had said about a Redeemer coming through Abraham meant nothing to him.
Les says Esau was shaken when he lost the blessing because it was the material double portion of herds and flocks; he didn't care about the spiritual birthright. Even though he wept and sought the blessing carefully (Hebrews 12:17), he never understood why he was rejected because he was a man without faith.
Esau destitute of faith
Les teaches that Esau was a man 'destitute of faith,' and that a lack of faith shows up in a person's behavior.
The material blessing
Les points out that Esau only cared about the material blessing (double portion of herds and flocks), not the spiritual birthright, and identifies him as an immoral fornicator.
Morally better but no faith
Les observes that Esau was probably morally better than Jacob, yet the Bible's evaluation of his character centers on his lack of faith.
No place of repentance
Les explains the difficult verse: Esau wept over the lost blessing but never understood why he missed it because he could not believe God.
The bowl of bean soup
Les shows how Esau glibly traded his spiritual birthright for a bowl of bean soup because the promise of the coming Redeemer meant nothing to him.
Esau deserved nothing
Les insists Esau was not cheated; he deserved neither the birthright nor the blessing because he had no faith, and his immorality continued in his marriages.
Marriage to Canaanites
Les uses Esau's marriage to Canaanite women as further evidence of the kind of man he was—one who was destitute of faith.
Spiritual destitution
Les teaches that Esau was not just physically hungry but spiritually destitute; when there is no faith, it shows throughout the whole person.
Hebrews 12:16: Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
The key verse directly labels Esau's character as fornicator and profane.
Hebrews 12:17: For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Shows the consequence of Esau's character—he was rejected despite his tears.
Genesis 25:34: Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
Records how Esau showed contempt for his birthright by trading it for a meal.
Genesis 27:34: And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
Shows Esau's bitter reaction when the blessing was given to Jacob.
Genesis 26:34-35: And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
Highlights Esau's immorality through his marriages to Hittite women.
Genesis 25:32: And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
Shows Esau's verbal dismissal of the value of his birthright.
The Bible calls Esau a 'fornicator' and a 'profane person' in Hebrews 12:16, and Genesis 25:34 says he 'despised his birthright.' He also grieved his parents by marrying Hittite women (Genesis 26:34-35).
Les Feldick explains that Esau wept because he missed the material blessing, not because he had true faith. He never understood why he was rejected because he could not believe what God had said (Hebrews 12:17).
No. Les teaches that Esau didn't care about the spiritual side of the birthright; it meant nothing to him. He glibly traded it for a bowl of bean soup.
Watch the Teaching: What Does the Bible Say About Deception? Jacob, Esau, and the Stolen Blessing.