The Edomites, descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob, are a significant group in biblical history. Esau, also known as Edom, settled in the region south of the Dead Sea, which became known as Edom. The Edomites are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often in relation to their interactions and conflicts with the Israelites.

Genealogy and Early History

The Edomites trace their lineage to Esau, the firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau's descendants are listed in Genesis 36, which provides a detailed genealogy of the Edomite chiefs and clans. The land of Edom, also referred to as Seir, was characterized by its rugged terrain and strategic location along trade routes.

Edomite Kingship

The Edomites established a monarchy long before Israel did. Genesis 36:31 states, "These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites." This passage highlights the early development of a structured political system in Edom, contrasting with the tribal confederation of Israel during the same period.

The list of Edomite kings in Genesis 36:32-39 provides insight into the governance of Edom. The kingship was not hereditary, as each king is noted to have come from a different city, suggesting a form of elective monarchy or a system where leadership was based on merit or influence rather than lineage.

Relations with Israel

The relationship between the Edomites and the Israelites was complex and often hostile. Despite their shared ancestry, the two nations frequently clashed. Numbers 20:14-21 recounts an early conflict when Edom refused Israel passage through their territory during the Exodus. This refusal set the stage for ongoing animosity.

Throughout the period of the Judges and the monarchy in Israel, the Edomites were both adversaries and subjugated peoples. King Saul fought against Edom (1 Samuel 14:47), and King David later subdued them, placing garrisons in Edom and making them his subjects (2 Samuel 8:13-14). However, Edom regained independence during the reign of King Joram of Judah (2 Kings 8:20-22).

Prophetic Literature

The prophets frequently spoke against Edom, condemning their pride and hostility towards Israel. Obadiah, in particular, is a prophetic book dedicated to the judgment of Edom. Obadiah 1:10-14 accuses Edom of violence against their brother Jacob and predicts their downfall.

Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel also prophesy against Edom, foretelling its destruction due to its arrogance and enmity towards Israel (Isaiah 34:5-15; Jeremiah 49:7-22; Ezekiel 25:12-14). These prophecies reflect the broader biblical theme of divine justice and the consequences of opposing God's chosen people.

Later History

The Edomites, known as Idumeans in later history, continued to play a role in the region. During the intertestamental period, they were forcibly converted to Judaism by the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus. Herod the Great, an Idumean, became king of Judea under Roman rule, further intertwining the histories of Edom and Israel.

The Edomites' legacy is a testament to the complex interplay of kinship, conflict, and prophecy in the biblical narrative. Their account serves as a reminder of the enduring consequences of familial strife and the sovereignty of God over the nations.Genesis 36:31-29
And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Numbers 20:14
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus said your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has befallen us:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Kingdom Op Judah.
... Lord by dismissing the Ephraimites whom he had hired to aid him against the Edomites,
and he ... the kingdom during his lifetime, and afterwards reigned alone ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson vii the kingdom op.htm

Palestine under Pagan Kings.
... or else he was urged by the Edomites and others ... wonders which the Most High God had
wrought toward ... the Most High, whose wonderful career afterwards, we shall ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/palestine under pagan kings.htm

A Godly Reformation
... right standing at first than to shift to it afterwards. ... might have been excused if
he had thought that ... Edomites on the east, Philistines on the west and south ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a godly reformation.htm

Amaziah
... if God should turn against him, that business with the Edomites was likely ... and God
asks you, and it is your duty: but afterwards, when they had obeyed His ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/amaziah.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... Wicked Than All The Kings That Had Been Before ... Amaziah Made An Expedition Against
The Edomites And Amalekites ... Conquered Them; But When He Afterwards Made War ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

Book 5 Footnotes
... thrice in this chapter, and twice afterwards, ch.11 ... Israelites] should be Esau's
[or the Edomites'] lord, remarkably ... a proper occasion, after he had borne with ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

The Israelites
... The Edomites refused them a passage along the high-road ... but he could not restore
what he had destroyed, or ... in the mountainous region which afterwards bore its ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Personal History of Herod - the Two Worlds in Jerusalem.
... hands of Hyrcanus when, shortly afterwards, Gabinius (one ... the district of Idum??a
had been conquered ... Southern Palestine which the Edomites had occupied since ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ii the personal history.htm

CHAP. I. -II. 3 (II. 1).
... Deuteronomy 23:1-8, where the Edomites and Egyptians ... to him ([Hebrew: bv]);" and
immediately afterwards it is ... of the house of Jehu, guilt had certainly been ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i -ii 3 ii 1.htm

Demonstration xxi. --Of Persecution.
... and of Samuel the Prophet; [1116] the Edomites in the ... to be king instead of Saul
who had sinned; and ... reigned first over one tribe only, and afterwards over all ...
/.../aphrahat/aphrahat select demonstrations/demonstration xxi of persecution.htm

Who were the Edomites? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Edom in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who/what is Edom (Obadiah 1:1, 8)? | GotQuestions.org

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