Yes — Esau was rejected because his tears expressed grief over losing the blessing, not faith in God's promise, and he remained destitute of faith.
The Bible and Les Feldick both point to Esau's earlier despising of his birthright as the root of his rejection. He sold it for a bowl of soup because he saw no value in spiritual things. When he later wept and begged for the blessing, his tears did not change his status because they did not spring from genuine faith or repentance.
Genesis 25:34 — This verse records the moment Esau ate the bread and pottage and then despised his birthright, showing why he later found no place of repentance.
Hebrews 12:16-17 — This New Testament passage directly explains that Esau was rejected even though he sought the blessing with tears, because he had sold his birthright and found no place of repentance.
In Genesis 25:34, after Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils, the Scripture says: "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." Later, when Esau discovered the blessing had been given to Jacob, Genesis 27:34 tells us: "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."
Les teaches that Esau was rejected because he was destitute of faith. Although Esau was probably better than Jacob morally, he had no faith and saw no significance in spiritual things. The spiritual birthright was connected to the coming of the Messiah, but Esau did not value it—he would rather have a bowl of soup than anything spiritual. Jacob, for all his faults, understood that there was something to be gained spiritually by being in the line of the promise made to Abraham.
Genesis 27:34 records Esau crying with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and Hebrews 12:16-17 says he sought the blessing carefully with tears but was rejected. Les Feldick clarifies that the tears did not change his status in faith. Esau was not looking for his own repentance—he had no faith and no felt need for repentance. Instead, he was trying to get Isaac to repent and change the blessing he had already pronounced over Jacob.
Les explains that the birthright was a spiritual thing, associated with the coming of the Messiah. Esau, being a man of no faith, saw no value in it and would rather have a bowl of soup than anything spiritual. Jacob, on the other hand, had enough understanding to know there was something to be gained spiritually by being in the line of the promise made to Abraham, and so he pursued it.
Les connects Esau to Cain, saying all of Esau's problems go back to the same root: he saw no significance in what God said. Cain had the same opportunity as Abel but lacked faith; Esau likewise was destitute of faith. Both were rejected because of unbelief, not because of a lack of emotion.
Les says no. According to the custom of the ancients, once Isaac spoke the blessing, it was done and could not be changed. Esau deserved neither the birthright nor the blessing because he had no faith. He also showed his immorality by marrying among the Hittites and Canaanites. Les concludes: "Don't feel sorry for Esau. He was not cheated, he was not rooked, he did not deserve it."
Faith, Not Morality, Determines Acceptance
Les introduces Esau as a man who was probably better than Jacob morally, but this did not matter because acceptance before God is based on faith, not moral superiority.
Weeping Did Not Change Esau's Status
Les directly answers the question by showing that Esau's tearful plea did not change his status in faith at all; he did not come out of the experience believing what God said.
Esau's Problem Was the Same as Cain's
Les traces Esau's rejection back to the same root as Cain's: he had no faith and saw no significance in spiritual things, including what God had said.
Esau Was Destitute of Faith
Les describes Esau as a man destitute of faith, incapable of knowing right from wrong in the spiritual sense, which is why Isaac could not reverse the blessing.
Esau Sought Isaac's Repentance, Not His Own
Les interprets Hebrews 12:17 to mean that Esau was trying to get Isaac to change his mind, not seeking his own repentance, because Esau had no faith.
The Birthright Was Spiritual, and Esau Saw No Value in It
Les explains that the spiritual birthright was connected to the coming Messiah; Esau had no concern for spiritual things and would rather have soup, while Jacob valued the promised line.
Emotional Outcry Did Not Increase Esau's Faith
Les notes that Esau cried and begged, but his emotional display did not produce or increase faith; he remained destitute of faith afterward.
Esau Was Not Cheated
Les teaches that once the blessing was spoken it could not be changed, and Esau deserved nothing because he had no faith and was an immoral man.
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.
This shows the moment Esau showed contempt for his spiritual birthright.
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.
This records Esau's tearful plea after learning the blessing had been given to Jacob.
Genesis 27:38: And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
This describes Esau weeping as he sought another blessing from Isaac.
Hebrews 12:16-17: Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 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.
This is the New Testament commentary on Esau's rejection, directly connecting it to his selling the birthright.
Hebrews 11:4: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
This contrasts Cain's lack of faith with Abel's faith and is used by Les to compare Esau's unbelief with Cain's.
No. The Bible says Esau was rejected because he had already sold his birthright and found no place of repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears (Hebrews 12:16-17; Genesis 25:34). His tears were real, but they did not reverse the consequences of his unbelief.
Les Feldick teaches that Esau was trying to get Isaac to repent of the blessing he had already given to Jacob. Esau was not seeking his own repentance because he had no faith and saw no spiritual need.
Les says Esau was probably better than Jacob morally and in every other way, but it did not matter because Esau was destitute of faith. Jacob, despite his flawed character, valued the spiritual birthright and believed enough to pursue it.
Genesis 25:34 says Esau ate bread and pottage and went his way, "thus Esau despised his birthright." Les explains that Esau saw no value in spiritual things and would rather have a bowl of soup than anything connected to God's spiritual promises.
Watch the Teaching: Understanding Cain and Abel: Faith, Sin, and Civilization Explained