
In Genesis 27:36, Esau laments that Jacob, “took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” The birthright usually belonged to the oldest male heir in a family. The oldest son, usually, received double the inheritance of his younger brothers. With this double portion came the responsibility of caring for the extended family which would include the widow of the deceased and any unwed sisters. Thus, the double portion of the material inheritance was to ensure that the recipient of the birthright had the means to take care of the family.
Esau’s statement in Genesis 27:36 hints that the birthright did not necessarily confer family headship. Esau believed that Jacob had stolen both the birthright and the blessing from him. As the oldest, Esau expected to receive both.
What this passage reveals is that the birthright and the blessing were not the same thing. Presumably they often went together, but this Old Testament passage leaves the door open to the possibility that they could go to two different brothers.
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