Esau, also known as Edom, was the eldest son of Isaac and Rebekah and grandson of Abraham. He was born the elder twin to his brother Jacob. In Hebrew tradition he is considered the ancestor of the Edomites. His name means hairy, for hairy and red he was when he came from his mother’s womb as described in Genesis 25:25. Esau became a skillful hunter and was favored by his father while Jacob preferred the indoors and was favored by his mother. One day after Esau came in from the field famished, he was persuaded by Jacob, to trade his birthright for a bowl of stew, Genesis 25:29-34. Later, when his father was near the end of life and giving out blessings, his blessing was stolen by his brother Jacob. Despite the hostility between the brothers, late on in life they do reconcile, Genesis 34:4. Even though he lost the birthright, Esau became the father of the Edomites, a powerful nation. While Jacob carried the spiritual blessing, Esau still received material blessings. Isaac told him he would live by the sword and have freedom. God gave Esau land, family, and prosperity, even without the covenant promise. Esau’s offspring split into various groups, each one led by a chieftain. One of these groups was named Magdiel, which is identified as Rome. Indeed, there is a longstanding tradition that the Romans were descendants of Esau, and as such, Jewish literature refers to the Roman Empire as the Kingdom of Edom.
That concludes our in-depth study of Esau. I hope to have you back next Tuesday as well continue to learn about the people of the Bible.
Source:
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4937157/jewish/14-Facts-About-Esau-Everyone-Should-Know.htm
https://watermarkwaves.com/blogs/explore-the-bible/10-interesting-facts-about-esau-in-the-bible?srsltid=AfmBOoqK3vXrHHnG2xYr5w3m06SY-yb7ExZa6Zs4pNPhULF3VyFZEPYQ
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