Isaac made known to his sons these privileges and conditions, and plainly stated that Esau, as the eldest, was the one entitled to the birthright. But Esau had no love for devotion, no inclination to a religious life. The requirements that accompanied the spiritual birthright were an unwelcome and even hateful restraint to him. The law of God, which was the condition of the divine covenant with Abraham, was regarded by Esau as a yoke of bondage. Bent on self-indulgence, he desired nothing so much as liberty to do as he pleased. To him power and riches, feasting and reveling, were happiness. He gloried in the unrestrained freedom of his wild, roving life. Rebekah remembered the words of the angel, and she read with clearer insight than did her husband the character of their sons. She was convinced that the heritage of divine promise was intended for Jacob. She repeated to Isaac the angel's words; but the father's affections were centered upon the elder son, and he was unshaken in his purpose.

Isak fortalte sine sønner om disse forrettigheder og betingelser og lagde ikke skjul på, at Esau som den ældste havde krav på førstefødselsretten. Men Esau brød sig ikke om gudsfrygt og følte ingen tilbøjelighed til at leve et religiøst liv. De krav, der ledsagede den åndelige førstefødselsret, var en uvelkommen, ja, endog forhadt tvang for ham. Guds lov, der var grundlaget for Guds pagt med Abraham, betragtedes af Esau som et trælleåg. Han elskede selvtilfredsstillelse og ønskede mest af alt at have frihed til at gøre, som han ville. Magt og rigdom, fester og svir var, hvad han forstod ved lykke. Han boltrede sig i sit vilde, omstrejfende livs uhæmmede frihed. Rebekka huskede engelens ord, og hun så klarere end sin mand børnenes karakter. Hun var overbevist om, at det guddommelige løftes arv var bestemt for Jakob. Hun gentog engelens ord for Isak; men faderen havde kastet sin kærlighed på sin ældste søn og var urokkelig i sit forsæt.