Why Couldn't Esau Repent?

What a terrible thing to want to repent and not be allowed to. Why would God withhold repentance from Esau who was obviously broken in spirit? Unfortunately for Esau, that seems to be what Hebrews 12:15-17 is saying. Here’s the passage in its immediate context:

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Heb. 12:15-17 (KJV)

You are probably familiar with the story from Genesis Chapter 25. Esau, the firstborn, returns from an exhausting day in the field and is hungry. He asks for some of Jacob’s stew and Jacob offers to sell a bowl of stew to Esau in exchange for Esau’s birthright. Esau foolishly agrees and sells his birthright to Jacob. Later, their blind father Isaac is tricked into blessing Jacob when he thinks that he is blessing his firstborn, Esau. When Esau discovers that Jacob has stolen his blessing from Isaac, and that Isaac will not rescind the blessing he bestowed on Jacob, Esau cries out and weeps heavily.

Isaac blessing Jacob instead of Esau.

Now back to Hebrews 12:17. This verse sounds as though brokenhearted Esau was unable to repent even though he desperately desired to. That has always seemed strange to me. Why couldn’t Esau repent? Does this verse teach us that Esau was not allowed to repent? What should we make of this verse?

To understand this verse better we need to define the word repent. The word in Greek is metanoia and in its most basic sense means “a change of mind”. It is not necessary to associate repentance (metanoia) with sin, though most of us usually think of it this way. If we recognize that a change of mind is the basic definition, and that repentance is not always referring to turning from sin, we get a step closer to understanding Hebrews 12:17.

The word in Greek is metanoia and in its most basic sense means “a change of mind”.

Defining repentance as a change of mind does not completely solve the mystery of this verse. Another question needs to be asked: To whom is the word repentance linked, Esau or Isaac? I have always thought that Esau was the one trying to repent in this verse. If so then this verse would mean that Esau wanted to change his own mind but couldn’t, which doesn't make a lot of sense. It is helpful to understand that Esau, in his weeping, was not seeking the opportunity to repent, rather he was seeking the blessing that he missed out on. It seems better to say that the word repentance is linked to Isaac, not Esau.

It appears that the most satisfactory explanation is that Esau begged Isaac to change his mind (metanoia) about blessing Jacob but Isaac would not (or could not) change his mind- what was done was done. Isaac’s blessing upon Jacob was irreversible. Esau’s tears could not undo what had already occurred. This explanation fits perfectly with the events described in Genesis 27 and also fits nicely with the context of Hebrews Chapter 12.

Esau begged Isaac to repent (change his mind) about blessing Jacob but Isaac would not.

Hebrews 12 uses Esau as an example of who not to imitate as Christians. Esau was foolish to sell his birthright so cheaply. Esau treated his birthright with contempt, considering it to be virtually worthless. Afterwards, Esau couldn’t cause Isaac to change his mind (repent) even though Esau begged him to. Similarly, this chapter in Hebrews reminds us that God will not change His mind about His grace being the hope of the believer rather than our own righteousness. To try to receive God’s blessing by returning to the inferior Old Covenant is equivalent to treating God’s grace as worthless. Hebrews 12:28 says:

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably… (HCSB)

Some say that God did not allow Esau to repent because Esau had crossed the line with God and exhausted God's grace. They say that Esau was not allowed to turn from his sin even though he sincerely wanted to. However, what is really taught in this passage is simply that Esau begged his father Isaac to repent (change his mind) and give the stolen blessing back to Esau. Isaac could not revoke the blessing he had already given to Jacob, even though Esau wept bitterly before him.