Esau

Traded inheritance rashly

Esau is a biblical figure, the elder twin son of Isaac and Rebekah, who sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of stew.

The name has become shorthand for someone who trades something valuable for immediate gratification: Don't be an Esau—think about your future.

Esau is also described as hairy, which occasionally colors literary or humorous usage.

biblical

Jacob

Male given name

IsaacHebrew patriarch name
RebekahGenesis bride at well
birthrightEntitlement from origin

blessing · Genesis · patriarch · firstborn · inheritance · Old Testament · Hebrew · ancestor · lineage · descendants

hunter

venison

Flesh of cervids

gameOrganized play or sport
bowRespectful forward inclination
arrowPointed shaft for shooting

archery · wilderness · field · outdoorsman · tracking · stalking · prey · quarry · trapping · survival

hairy

red

Primary color, warm

ruddyReddish in complexion
furryCovered in soft hair
roughUneven in surface

rugged · bearded · shaggy · coarse · bristly · woolly · bushy · unkempt · matted · wild

Categories

Bible PeopleAbraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David
Biblical MenAdam, Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph
Biblical FiguresJesus, Adam, Eve, Moses, Noah
Biblical familiesAbraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca
GenesisAdam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac
Genesis FiguresAdam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac

Opposites

biblical twin opposition

Male given name

Israel · Abel · Joseph · Isaac

Phrases

Jacob and EsauGenesis patriarch rivals

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G