3 Red's Stew and Other Food Deals

Read Genesis 25:27-34, 27, 30:14-20

Food is not ordinary. It is holy, created to remind us of our dependence on the Creator and our need for His life. Food was chosen as the test, not by accident but by divine design. It was tangible, desirable, and symbolic. Every meal points back to the Garden and forward to redemption. When we eat, we are meant to remember God. The way we handle food — with gratitude, restraint, and reverence — is a small but powerful act of returning to the Garden, where there was trust, provision, and truth. That’s not normally the way people see it.

About 20 generations after the Garden, the family the Bible follows closest had twins. One day, one of the twins came in from hunting while the other was fixing some food. The food, apparently, was pretty good.

And Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red [stew], for I [am] weary." Therefore his name was called Edom (Red). But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day." And Esau said, "Look, I [am] about to die; so what [is] this birthright to me?" Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised [his] birthright. (Genesis 25:30-34, NKJV)

Having a birthright normally meant getting a special blessing and additional inheritance (Deut. 21:17; 1 Chr. 5:1–2).

There was almost certainly other food for Esau to eat. His dad, Isaac, was a successful farmer. Esau smelled the stew and wanted that. How bad did he want it? He was willing to trade his birthright for it. Esau was impulsive, wanting the food of the moment more than the long-term advantages he could have received.

Esau exaggerated while arguing about the red soup: “I am about to die.” A person wouldn’t walk in from hunting and then die in the next moments because of starvation. That’s not how starvation works.

That’s the way humans trick ourselves to justify getting the things we crave. How creative can a person get while justifying a craving?

Esau got a nickname from this event – Red (Edom). (Esau also means red. When he was born, he looked red.) Nicknames that stick seem to reveal who someone truly is in the shortest possible way. Who was Esau? He was the one who would trade in something valuable for a bowl of red soup. This craving defined his identity. He loved the soup. Onlookers could say this guy is either crazy or stupid. “Yes, that's Red.”

I (Nate) got the nickname “banana man” from my in-laws because I ate so many of their bananas. I was young and burning a lot of calories, so I actually needed the bananas. They were a reasonable choice for the energy I needed. I wonder what nickname I could get now. What nickname could you give yourself? I (Ginny) could have been called something related to my sugar intake! Chocoholic? Cookie Monster?

We are not recommending that you call someone a nickname. (If you need to talk with someone, do it without mockery.) We are recommending that you observe this event in the Bible and use it to become more aware of your own actions. Can onlookers see things that you can’t or won’t see about yourself?

When it comes to having self-control, there is something to be said for pointing out the thing we don’t want to be associated with or the person we don’t want to be like. If you don’t want to be like Red, and you don’t want to be associated with a nickname with a negative connotation, could you use that to help you make the right decisions? Could that help put food in its proper place in your mind? Could you be honest with yourself?

Many have believed that fatness is the same as food sin, but we would be surprised if Red were fat. He was young and a great hunter, yet his sin was related to food. These events make us wonder if the crux of food sin isn’t fat, but something more like out-of-place priorities.

Are there truths we might apply?

People trade in valuable things for food all the time. Life, health, family, and love are often overlooked for the smell and taste of the food of the moment. Is trading in those things all that different than trading in a birthright? When we stop and grab a bite, do we take time to think of what we might be trading in for that food? It seems like it should cross our minds.

Did Red crave, covet, and deceive? We think so. He had a heightened want because he was coming back from a hunt, and he made the ridiculous excuse that he was going to die. Is it possible we could do the same? What kind of mental gymnastics do we go through when we want some food we don’t really need?.

If losing weight is your goal, could loving food be part of your problem? What we mean is, are you letting yourself get excited about food?

I (Ginny) remember when I was a kid. My dad took us to the Indianapolis Colts games. Aside from having special time with my dad, I really thought the food and soda were the most exciting part of the event. I liked to go to the games, but I loved the nachos. That’s a typical childish thought, but what if I never outgrow it? Am I like Red, looking forward to the food so much?

Isaac Makes Blessing Special with Food

Isaac, Red’s dad, knew Red had sold his birthright blessing to Jacob, but Isaac was trying to ignore it. The Lord had already told Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, that Jacob would lead (Genesis 25:23). Still, Isaac wanted Red to get the blessing. We learn that Red was not only Isaac’s first son, but was also his favorite son. Rebekah wanted to make sure her favorite son, Jacob, got what he had negotiated, the birthright blessing.

When Isaac felt he might die, he said to Red,

"Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring [it] to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die." (Genesis 27:3-4, NKJV)

Isaac loved Red more because Isaac loved food. Could that have caused some dysfunction in the family?

So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate [of his] game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:27-28, NKJV)

Isaac requested a special meal when he wanted to bless Red. Isaac wanted to eat food that he loved ('āhaḇ, like a person loves another person). Isaac was outspoken about his love of certain foods. In fact, we might think back and wonder if Red was imitating his dad when he craved the red stew.

While Red was hunting, the twins' mother, Rebekah, plotted for Jacob to deceive his dad. Jacob was able to pretend to be Red and get the birthright blessing. Then, Jacob had to flee so Red wouldn't kill him. Rebekah, who loved Jacob, died while he was exiled. She didn’t see her favorite son again.

God had already determined to bless Jacob, so none of these blessing shenanigans would have made a difference.

What do we learn from this?

First, if you are the type of person who hears of something special and immediately thinks, “We have to have food for this,” maybe pause to consider if food is too high a priority in your mind, like it was in Isaac’s. When we focus on deciding what special food to shop for, prepare, and then eat, it takes a long time. Should we ask, “What else could we be doing with that time?”

More importantly, we think we should question whether seemingly small lusts will lead to bigger consequences. The solution to avoiding potential problems is simple: We shouldn’t love food. We should find a way to be indifferent. We should find a way to say, “Food isn’t important to me.” We should value things that are more valuable. Can you think of a way that loving food could minimize love toward others, separate a family, or hurt a child?

Rachel, Leah, and Basket Plants

Let’s look at a deal that Rachel struck with Leah. They were both Jacob's wives, but not by Jacob’s choice. Jacob was tricked into the situation by his father-in-law, Laban. So, there was some tension in the family.

Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me [some] of your son's mandrakes." But she said to her, "[Is it] a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." And he lay with her that night. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. (Genesis 30:14-18, NKJV)

The Hebrew isn’t mandrakes,[1] but dûḏay[2], meaning basket, pot, or kettle. Rachel wanted to taste a certain food that was collected at the wheat harvest time. She referred to it as “basket.”

The context of the chapter is during what might be called the baby races between Rachel and Leah. They both had goals to have more children than the other. Did Rachel give up having another child to swallow something she really liked? Did Rachel think it was worth it?

Consider the pattern in the Bible. Someone craves or loves some food, and the cost is significantly more than ever could have been imagined – Eve and dying, Red and his birthright, Isaac and his family, Rachel and her goal to have more children.

We are not saying that eating wrong will always lead to unexpectedly large consequences. We do think we can make a profound observation. If we remember that food was invented by the Creator as both a necessary provision and an indicator of lusting for something meaningless, then we might see that God is trying to teach us something in Genesis. The act of wanting more than what we need represents the human heart. Why can’t we just be content? What are the consequences of being discontent? Are they bigger than we might think? Could this be a major insight into the definition of food sin?

Take Aways

1. We shouldn’t love food. We should get to the point where we say, “Food is necessary, but not important to me.” When we do this, we will experience all sorts of freedoms, including weight loss. Let’s ask ourselves, “Do I love food? Do I look forward to it? Dream of it?” This is a good start.

2. When it comes to having self-control, there is something to be said for pointing out the thing we don’t want to be associated with or the person we don’t want to be like. Part of rejecting bad ideas about food is being able to be disgusted by them. We should ask, “Do I think some of the people in this chapter made foolish sacrifices for the love of food? Am I disgusted by this? Am I being foolish, too?”

3. We trick ourselves into justifying getting the things we crave. We say, “I deserve this,” or, “It’s not that bad.” In the end, it hurts us, and God hates lying. Do you trick yourself or others about food? If so, how good are you at that? What is your most creative lie?

4. Every one of these stories shows how misplaced desire over something as small as food can unravel families, damage relationships, and distract from God’s purposes. Food is revealing. When we crave it, it shows what we think about God and his good plan. We should honestly question whether seemingly small lusts will lead to bigger consequences.

5. When planning a gathering or celebration, remember that not every joyful moment needs to revolve around food. Be creative in finding ways to celebrate that center around people, purpose, and gratitude instead of what we’re going to eat. “Who can we bless?” replaces “What can I get out of this?” As I imagine the next event I’m attending, what would it look like without a major focus on food and drink? More importantly, how am I prioritizing people instead?

6. Keep a written list of your priorities (time, peace, prayer, health), and revisit it often. Keep these points and place it where it will help you most, like in the kitchen. It might look like this:

· My priorities: love others, be healthy, have a good testimony, be attractive,…

· It’s dumb to love food.

· Lasting blessings over quick satisfaction.

· No deceit or sneakiness.

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. If you were to change the way you think about food or overcome food sin, which record of the people in this chapter would be most helpful to study?

2. What nickname would I be called if everyone could see my food choices? How can I change that? What would you want your food nickname to be? Are you willing to call yourself that?

3. What would you get excited about in order to replace any excitement about food?

4. Am I influencing my kids or others to love food, too? How might that affect them long term? What would you want to teach them about food?

[1] About 100 years before Christ, the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek. We refer to this as the Septuagint because of the 70 translators. They added the word mandrakes. The Septuagint has it as μανδραγορῶν (memisthōmai). The Mediterranean mandrake plant is poisonous. It isn't good for consumption. In fact, the mandrake plant can produce terrifying delirium, a racing heart, fever, vomiting, and even death. The biggest problem with “mandrakes” here is that the Hebrew uses a different word.

[2] The word is used two other times in the Bible. The dûḏay give off a fragrance, And at our gates [are] pleasant [fruits],... (Song of Songs 7:13, NKJV) This dûḏay smelled good and produced pleasant fruits. The LORD showed me, and there were two dûḏay of figs set before the temple of the LORD,... (Jeremiah 24:1, NKJV)

The root dûḏ normally refers to a basket or kettle, but it can refer to love (as in boiling love), but that isn’t a thing a person can trade in a situation like this.

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