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follow justify the epithet bevbhlo" , but they do not extend further. They imply therefore that povrno" does not refer to him.

Another question arises whether povrno" is to be taken literally or metaphorically, of moral or religious impurity. The word occurs again Heb. 13:4 in the literal sense, and it is found only in this sense elsewhere in the N.
T., though it naturally occurs in close connexion with idolatry: 1 Cor. 6:9; Apoc. 21:8; 22:15. The literal sense therefore is to be kept here as following out the thought of
aJgiasmov" (Heb. 12:14). The obstacles to holiness are gathered up under two heads, those which centre in the man himself, and those which concern his view of the divine gifts. A man may fail by personal impurity: he may fail also by disregard of the blessings of God. Esau is a characteristic example of the latter form of sin, as one who by birth occupied a position of prerogative which he recklessly sacrificed for an immediate and sensuous pleasure. The Hebrews, on their part, might also barter their blessings as firstborn in the Church for the present outward consolations of the material Temple service. Peace with Judaism might be bought at the price of Christian holiness.

The use of bevbhlo" in the N. T. is limited: 1 Tim. 1:9; 4:7; 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:16; comp. Matt. 12:5; Acts 24:6. The word describes a character which recognises nothing as higher than earth: for whom there is nothing sacred: no divine reverence for the unseen.

Esau appears in Scripture as the embodiment of this character. For one mess of meat (Vulg. propter unam escam ), not only for a transitory and material price, but that the smallest, he sold his own birthright ( ta; prwtotovkia eJautou' ).

The language of the original narrative (Gen. 25:33 f.) is singularly

expressive of the thoughtlessness of Esau, gw Ël-'YEw" : q;Y™:w" T]v]Y±Ew" lk'aY§Ow" , kai;

e[fage kai; e[pie kai; ajnasta;" w[/ceto kai; ejfauvlisen jHsau' ta; prwtotovkia .

For the double portion of the first-born see Deut. 21:17 (1 Chron. 5:1). Heb. 12:17. The neglect of privileges and responsibilities brings irreparable consequences.
i[ste ga;r ... ajpedokimavsqh ] For ye know that even afterward, when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected , Vulg. Scitote enim quoniam et postea...reprobatus est. The form i[ste , which is very rare in the N. T. (Eph. 5:5; James 1:9) is ambiguous. It may be (as Vulg.) imperative; but the indicative makes an impressive appeal to the history with which the Hebrews were familiar.

The consequences of Esau's act reached farther than he had cared to look ( even afterward ). In spite of his impulsive disregard of divine things he retained still some sense of God's promise, and sought to secure what had naturally belonged to him Thus his profane irreverence was seen in a new form. He paid no heed to his own act, but wished to occupy the position which he had voluntarily abandoned. He had sold the right of the first-born and yet, as if that were a trivial thing, he claimed to inherit the blessing which belonged to it. The use of klhronomh'sai emphasises his sin. He asserted the prerogative of birth, a gift of God, when he had himself recklessly surrendered it.


ajpedokimavsqh ] he was rejected by his father who confirmed the blessing which he had unknowingly given to Jacob. Isaac spoke what was


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