Bible Strands
Genesis 25:33
“Swear to me first,” Jacob said. So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jacob speaks to Esau immediately after Esau declares he is dying and dismisses the value of a birthright.
The words — הִשָּׁ֤בְעָ/ה (hi.Sha.ve.'a/h) means "swear" and כַּ/יּ֔וֹם (ka/i.Yom) literally means "as the day," marking the immediate timing of the request.
The thread — The transaction is noted in Genesis 27:36 as a past deception and in Hebrews 12:16 as a godless exchange for a single meal.
Why it lands — The text records a binding verbal contract that legally transfers a familial privilege, leaving the reader to observe the completed exchange without moral commentary.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Cross-references
- Hebrews 12:16 See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
- Genesis 27:36 So Esau declared, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice. He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing.” Then he asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?”
- Hebrews 6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
- Genesis 24:3 and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
- Genesis 36:6 Later, Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the people of his household, along with his livestock, all his other animals, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan, and he moved to a land far away from his brother Jacob.
- Mark 6:23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
- Genesis 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,