With secret longing he listened to all that his father told concerning the spiritual birthright; he carefully treasured what he had learned from his mother. Day and night the subject occupied his thoughts, until it became the absorbing interest of his life. But while he thus esteemed eternal above temporal blessings, Jacob had not an experimental knowledge of the God whom he revered. His heart had not been renewed by divine grace. He believed that the promise concerning himself could not be fulfilled 179 so long as Esau retained the rights of the first-born, and he constantly studied to devise some way whereby he might secure the blessing which his brother held so lightly, but which was so precious to himself.

Med stille længsel lyttede han til alt, hvad hans fader fortalte om den åndelige førstefødselsret, og han erindrede sig omhyggeligt alt, hvad han havde fået at vide af sin moder. Dag og nat var dette emne i hans tanker, indtil det blev hans livs altopslugende interesse. Men mens Jakob således satte det evige over det timelige, havde han endnu ikke praktisk kendskab til den Gud, han ærede. Hans hjerte var ikke blevet fornyet ved Guds nåde. Han troede ikke, at løftet om ham selv kunne opfyldes, så længe Esau beholdt førstefødselsretten, og han spekulerede stadig på, hvorledes han kunne skaffe sig den velsignelse, som hans broder brød sig så lidt om, men som var så dyrebar for ham selv.