Biblical Profile: Esau

Esau

Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, was Jacob’s older twin brother (Gen 25:24-26), so named because his body was hairy at birth. His descendants were called Edomites (“Edom” meaning “red”) on account of his reddish color at birth (25:25), the red lentil stew he received from Jacob (25:30), and the reddish color of the land in which he settled (see study note on Gen 25:25).

Esau was a proficient hunter who brought tasty wild meat to his father. Isaac enjoyed its strong flavor more than the mild meat Jacob provided from the family flocks. One day Esau returned home very hungry from an unsuccessful hunt, and Jacob persuaded Esau to surrender his birthright in exchange for food (25:29-34). Esau had little regard for his birthright and was controlled by his carnal desires (see Heb 12:16). He also married two local women who were not Abraham’s descendants (Gen 26:34-35), which may have fed into Rebekah’s favoritism toward Jacob and her idea about stealing the blessing of Isaac that was intended for Esau (27:1-40). Esau’s anger on discovering his brother’s deception prompted Jacob to flee for Haran. The brothers were reunited twenty years later when Esau demonstrated gracious forgiveness (33:1-16).

Esau was born with Jacob grasping his heel; this omen was interpreted to mean that Esau’s descendants would be subject to Jacob’s offspring. The subservient relationship between the Edomites and the Israelites began in David’s time (2 Sam 8:11-15; 1 Chr 18:11-13) and continued until the reign of Jehoram (2 Kgs 8:20-22; 2 Chr 21:8-10). Following a rebellion in 845 BC, the Edomites briefly gained their independence but were conquered again by Amaziah (796–767 BC). They regained their freedom in 735 BC and then remained independent of Judah.

In the New Testament, Esau represents the line of Abraham’s descendants who lacked the gift of faith and were rejected by God as recipients of his promised blessings (see Rom 9:6-24). Herod the Great was an Edomite.

Passages for Further Study

Gen 25:21-34; 26:34-35; 27:1-42; 28:6-9; 32:3-20; 33:1-16; 35:28-29; 36:1-43; Deut 2:1-8, 12, 22, 29; Josh 24:4; Mal 1:2-5; Rom 9:6-13; Heb 11:20; 12:16-17