1. Esau is the elder son of Isaac in the Hebrew Bible.
20 Facts About Esau
1. 2.
Esau is mentioned in the Book of Genesis and by the prophets Obadiah and Malachi.
3.
The story of Jacob and Esau reflects the historical relationship between Israel and Edom, aiming to explain why Israel, despite being a younger kingdom, dominated Edom.
4.
Jacob and Esau were the sons of Isaac and Rebecca, and the grandsons of Abraham and Sarah.
5.
The name Edom is attributed to Esau, meaning "red"; the same color is used to describe the color of his hair.
6.
Esau became the progenitor of the Edomites in Mount Seir.
7.
In Genesis, Esau returned to his twin brother Jacob, famished from the fields.
8.
When Esau learns of his brother's thievery, he is livid and begs his father to undo the blessing.
9.
Esau agrees to work another seven years and Jacob and Rachel are finally wed.
10.
Esau refuses the gifts, as he is very wealthy and does not need them.
11.
Jacob bows down before Esau and insists on his receiving the gifts.
12.
Esau then asks Jacob to follow him to the South but Jacob decides later to move to the North.
13.
Esau's family is again revisited in Genesis 36, this passage names two Canaanite wives; Adhah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, and a third: Bashemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebaioth.
14.
Esau was known as Edom, the progenitor of the Edomites who were established to the south of the Israelites.
15.
However, after the death of Isaac, the sons of Esau convince their father to lead them and hire mercenaries against Jacob to kill Jacob and his family and seize their wealth.
16.
The midrash says that during Rebecca's pregnancy, whenever she would pass a house of Torah study, Jacob would struggle to come out; whenever she would pass a house of idolatry, Esau would agitate to come out.
17.
Esau is considered to be a rebellious son who kept a double life until he was fifteen when he sold his birthright to Jacob.
18.
When Jacob was brought to be buried in the cave, Esau prevented the burial, claiming he had the right to be buried in the cave; after some negotiation Naphtali was sent to Egypt to retrieve the document stating Esau sold his part in the cave to Jacob.
19.
Jewish sources state that Esau sold his right to be buried in the cave.
20.
The SWP stated this identification was false and that Esau's tomb was in the Biblical Mount Seir.