Therefore Was His Name Called Edom (Genesis 25:30)

2023-08-12

And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. (Genesis 25:29-30)

Esau was called Edom because of this pottage, not because of his appearance. “And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau” (Genesis 25:25). This event of his selling his birthright for the pottage defined him and followed him around for the rest of his life, and his descendants bore that name for endless centuries after him. From our perspective, he could have been the ancestor of God’s people. However, his felt needs were more important than God’s eternal calling.

The Scripture says Esau despised his birthright. “And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 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” (Genesis 25:33-34). As a result, Esau was a “profane person... who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” (Hebrews 12:16). Putting temporal feelings before the Lord’s ways is to be like Esau. There is a danger here to learn from. He was driven by how he felt at the moment without thinking through the consequences of his actions. One impulse defined him forever.