Esau
Esau is Isaac and Rebekah’s elder son, Jacob’s twin brother, and the ancestor of the Edomites in the Hebrew Bible.
Birthright: A firstborn child’s customary inheritance rights, often including family leadership and a larger share of property. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a meal of lentil stew.
Isaac: The son of Abraham and Sarah, father of Jacob and Esau, and a patriarch in the Hebrew Bible. Isaac is Esau’s father and the source of the contested blessing.
Genesis: The first book of the Hebrew Bible, narrating creation, the ancestors of Israel, and their families. Esau’s story appears chiefly in Genesis, especially chapters 25–36.
Obadiah: A prophetic book of the Hebrew Bible that condemns Edom and announces its downfall. Obadiah invokes Esau when denouncing Edom’s conduct toward Judah.
Isaac’s blessing: A patriarchal declaration that invokes prosperity, authority, and the future standing of a descendant. Jacob receives the blessing Isaac intended for Esau.
Rebekah: The wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau in the Hebrew Bible. Rebekah favors Jacob and helps him obtain Isaac’s blessing.
Edomites: An ancient people associated with the kingdom of Edom and traditionally traced to Esau. The biblical genealogy makes Esau the forefather of this people.
Malachi: A prophetic book in which God’s love for Jacob and opposition to Esau frame a judgment on Edom. Malachi recasts the brothers’ names as symbols of divine choice and national fate.
Jacob and Esau: The twin brothers whose rivalry shapes the Genesis account of their birthright, blessing, separation, and reunion. Their conflict frames Esau’s place in the ancestral narrative.
Jacob: The younger twin of Esau who becomes a patriarch of Israel in the Hebrew Bible. Jacob is Esau’s rival for the birthright and paternal blessing.