Most assume that when Jacob manipulated Esau for the birthright, it had to do with getting a double portion of land that normally goes to the first born. Besides for being a cruel trickery if so, it doesn't seem like Isaac even knew about it. In fact, Jacob himself tells his father when tricking him "I am Esau your firstborn." When Esau comes back from the field, he says "I am Esau your firstborn son." And there was no contract, no way to prove that he had the rights for the land. What kind of sale happened here? So asks Shadal. I would add that the concept of adding double for the firstborn does not actually exist until Deuteronomy as far as I know, so its not clear that was something done in Isaac's day.
Shadal (using some elements of Abravanel) suggests that Jacob just wanted Esau to swear that Jacob could become the administrator (apotropus) for their father's land after Isaac dies. This was so Esau couldn't kick him out. Esau swore to this, and we see he in fact left for other lands afterwards.
So Jacob might have been a little less devious and more forward looking.
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