Idiom
sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage
Meaning
To make an unfavorable exchange, especially of something of great, but deferred value, for something of very low, but immediate value.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Don't sell your birthright for a mess of pottage by quitting school early.”
“You sell your birthright for a mess of pottage when you trade health for candy.”
“Do not sell your birthright for a mess of pottage by choosing sleep over exams.”
“He sold his birthright for a mess of pottage when he traded his long-term career prospects for a quick, low-paying job.”
“The young artist sold his birthright for a mess of pottage by giving away the rights to his future songs just to pay one month of rent.”
“The city council sold their birthright for a mess of pottage by letting a developer destroy the historic park in exchange for a small, one-time fee.”
“She realized she had sold her birthright for a mess of pottage after trading her family's antique jewelry for a cheap, modern car that broke down immediately.”
“By sacrificing his integrity for a fleeting moment of popularity, he essentially sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, losing the respect he had spent years building.”
Examples
simple
“Don't sell your birthright for a mess of pottage by quitting school early.”
“You sell your birthright for a mess of pottage when you trade health for candy.”
“Do not sell your birthright for a mess of pottage by choosing sleep over exams.”
contextual
“He sold his birthright for a mess of pottage when he traded his long-term career prospects for a quick, low-paying job.”
“The young artist sold his birthright for a mess of pottage by giving away the rights to his future songs just to pay one month of rent.”
“The city council sold their birthright for a mess of pottage by letting a developer destroy the historic park in exchange for a small, one-time fee.”
“She realized she had sold her birthright for a mess of pottage after trading her family's antique jewelry for a cheap, modern car that broke down immediately.”
complex
“By sacrificing his integrity for a fleeting moment of popularity, he essentially sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, losing the respect he had spent years building.”
Origin
In allusion to the Biblical character Esau, who sold his birthright for a meal of lentil stew (Genesis 25:29-34).
Key words
Related idioms
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