Edom
(1.) The name of Esau (q.v.), Gen 25:30, “Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage [Heb. haadom, haadom, i.e., ‘the red pottage, the red pottage’] ...Therefore was his name called Edom”, i.e., Red.
(2.) Idumea (Isa 34:5, Isa 34:6; Ezek 35:15). “The field of Edom” (Gen 32:3), “the land of Edom” (Gen 36:16), was mountainous (Obad. Obad 1:8, Obad 1:9, Obad 1:19, Obad 1:21). It was called the land, or “the mountain of Seir,” the rough hills on the east side of the Arabah. It extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea (1 Kgs 9:26), and contained, among other cities, the rock-hewn Sela (q.v.), generally known by the Greek name Petra (2 Kgs 14:7). It is a wild and rugged region, traversed by fruitful valleys. Its old capital was Bozrah (Isa 63:1). The early inhabitants of the land were Horites. They were destroyed by the Edomites (Deut 2:12), between whom and the kings of Israel and Judah there was frequent war (2 Kgs 8:20; 2 Chr 28:17).
At the time of the Exodus they churlishly refused permission to the Israelites to pass through their land (Num 20:14–21), and ever afterwards maintained an attitude of hostility toward them. They were conquered by David (2 Sam 8:14; comp. 1 Kgs 9:26), and afterwards by Amaziah (2 Chr 25:11, 2 Chr 25:12). But they regained again their independence, and in later years, during the decline of the Jewish kingdom (2 Kgs 16:6; R.V. marg., “Edomites”), made war against Israel. They took part with the Chaldeans when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, and afterwards they invaded and held possession of the south of Palestine as far as Hebron. At length, however, Edom fell under the growing Chaldean power (Jer 27:3, Jer 27:6).
There are many prophecies concerning Edom (Isa 34:5, Isa 34:6; Jer 49:7–18; Ezek 25:13; Ezek 35:1–15; Joel 3:19; Amos 1:11; Obad.; Mal 1:3, Mal 1:4) which have been remarkably fulfilled. The present desolate condition of that land is a standing testimony to the inspiration of these prophecies. After an existence as a people for above seventeen hundred years, they have utterly disappeared, and their language even is forgotten for ever. In Petra, “where kings kept their court, and where nobles assembled, there no man dwells; it is given by lot to birds, and beasts, and reptiles.”
The Edomites were Semites, closely related in blood and in language to the Israelites. They dispossessed the Horites of Mount Seir; though it is clear, from Gen 36:1–43, that they afterwards intermarried with the conquered population. Edomite tribes settled also in the south of Judah, like the Kenizzites (Gen 36:11), to whom Caleb and Othniel belonged (Josh 15:17). The southern part of Edom was known as Teman.
Named in the Bible
The first 20 of 82 verses
- Genesis 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
- Genesis 32:3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
- Genesis 36:1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.
- Genesis 36:8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
- Genesis 36:16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.
- Genesis 36:17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.
- Genesis 36:19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.
- Genesis 36:21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.
- Genesis 36:31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
- Genesis 36:32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
- Genesis 36:43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.
- Exodus 15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
- Numbers 20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:
- Numbers 20:18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.
- Numbers 20:20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.
- Numbers 20:21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
- Numbers 20:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,
- Numbers 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
- Numbers 24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
- Numbers 33:37 And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), by Matthew George Easton.
