It is not clear whether the transaction was seriously meant, or whether it only shows Jacob's wish to possess the birthright and Esau's indifference to it.
At any rate, the barter was not supposed to complete Jacob's title, as is shown by a subsequent piece of trickery.
Isaac's blessing was conceived to confer it; that blessing, if once given, could not be revoked, even if procured by fraud and given in error.
The belief would fulfil itself, as far as the chieftainship was concerned.
It is significant of the purely 'secular' tone of all the parties concerned that only temporal blessings are included in Isaac's words.
(c) The Scripture judgment on all parties concerned.
Great mistakes are made by forgetting that the Bible is a passionless narrator of its heroes' acts, and seldom pauses to censure or praise—so people have thought that Scripture gave its vote for Jacob as against Esau.
The character of the two men.
Esau—frank, impulsive, generous, chivalrous, careless, and sensuous.
Jacob—meditative, reflective, pastoral, timid, crafty, selfish. Each has the defects of his qualities.