Genesis 25:29-31

Amplified Bible

²⁹Jacob had cooked [reddish-brown lentil] stew [one day], when Esau came from the field and was famished; ³⁰and Esau said to Jacob, “Please, let me have a quick swallow of that red stuff there, because I am exhausted and famished.” For that reason Esau was [also] called Edom (Red). ³¹Jacob answered, “First sell me your ^[a]birthright (the rights of a firstborn).”

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Footnotes

Genesis 25:31 In later times, this was the right of the firstborn to take over as head of the family and to receive a double share of the inheritance (cf Deut 21:17). The rewards given to Jacob appear to have been even greater (Gen 27:37). Furthermore, in Jewish tradition it was reported that before the tabernacle was set up, sacrifices were offered by the firstborn of a family.