*Includes pictures *Includes excerpts of the Bible and ancient accounts *Includes a bibliography for further reading "These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before a king ruled the children of Israel. And Bela ben Beor ruled in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab ben Zerah from Bozrah ruled in his place. And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani ruled in his place. And Husham died, and Hadad ben Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, ruled in his place, and the name of his city was Avith. And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah ruled in his place. And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth on the river ruled in his place. And Saul died, and Baal-hanan ben Achbor ruled in his place. And Baal-hanan ben Achbor died, and Hadar ruled in his place, and the name of his city was Pau, and his wife's name was Mehetabel bat Matred bat Mezahab. And these are the names of the clans of Esau by their families, by their places, by their names: clan Timnah, clan Alvah, clan Jetheth, clan Aholibamah, clan Elah, clan Pinon, clan Kenaz, clan Teman, clan Mibzar, clan Magdiel, clan Iram." - Genesis 36 The ancient Edomites were just one of the many cultures inhabiting the Levant during the Late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, but they remain known thousands of years later thanks to mentions in the Old Testament. The Bible indicates that the Edomites and their kingdom had a complex relationship first with the Hebrews and then with the Israelites. According to the Bible, the Edomites were descended from a different branch of the Israelites' family tree and as such were treated as "brothers" at times, but at other times they were sworn enemies. Given those facts, understanding the true nature of the Edomites and their culture has been somewhat problematic for historians due to the lack of source material. Most of the references to the Edomites come from the Bible, which, while historically accurate about many points, is clearly biased against the enemies of Israel. Thus, scholars have also turned to texts from the Egyptians and Assyrians and excavations from the Levant to form a more comprehensive image of a culture that in many ways was very similar to that of the Israelites. Such assessments reveal that the Edomites' origins can be traced back to the wider Canaanite culture that was dominant in the Levant in the Late Bronze Age. During that time, the Edomites came into contact with the Egyptians and also reencountered the Hebrews. After coming back into contact with the Hebrews, the Edomites seemingly faded from the historical record until the creation of the Kingdom of Israel in the early 1st millennium BCE. The Edomites then played a subservient and clearly inferior role to the Israelites, at least politically, until the time was right and they could make a major play for their longtime rival's land. Ultimately, the Edomites flourished for several centuries only to suffer the same fate as the Israelites. They were swept up in the storm of wars and migrations that characterized the Near East from the end of the Bronze Age until the dominance of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. The Edomites: The History and Legacy of the Kingdom of Edom in the Ancient Near East examines how the culture flourished in parts of modern Jordan and Israel before the Babylonian conquest. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Edom like never before.

"'Esau. Edomites Today' discusses the Biblical background and historical development of Esau and his offspring. This work is the fruit of thorough research and reliable references are given. Sources used include Scripture, Rabbinical writings, historical documents, academic studies, and other works of relevance"--

No nation has been subjected to a wider range of biblical attitudes and emotions than Edom. In some sources, Edom is perceived as Israel’s brother; in many others, the animosity toward Edom is tremendous. The book of Genesis introduces Isaac, his wife Rebecca, and their twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Rivalry between the brothers emerges even before their birth and escalates over the course of their lives. The question of which son should be favored also causes tension in the parents’ relationship, and most of the Genesis text concerning Isaac and Rebecca revolves around this issue. The narrative describes the fraternal conflict between Jacob and Esau at length, and many hold that this description is a reflection of the hostility between Edom and Israel. However, the relationship between the brothers is not always depicted as strained. The twofold relationship between the brothers in Genesis—brotherhood and fraternity coupled with hatred and rivalry—introduces a dichotomy that is retained throughout the Hebrew Bible. In this monograph, Assis elucidates the complex relationship between Edom and Israel reflected in the Bible, to attempt to clarify the source of this complexity and the function that this relationship serves in the various biblical texts and Israel’s early history. He shows how this relationship plays an important role in the formation of Israel’s identity, and how the historical interaction between the nations influenced the people’s theological conception, as reflected in prophetic literature, poetry, and biblical narrative.

One in a series of twenty Old Testament verse-by-verse commentary books edited by Max Anders. Includes discussion starters, teaching plan, and more. Great for lay teachers and pastors alike.

The subject of the present book is the theme of Edom in the Old Testament. In the four long oracles against Edom (Isa. 34, Jer. 49.7-22, Ezek. 35, Obadiah), this nation serves as Israel's antagonist and the representative of the enemy nations. Edom also appears in the book of Genesis: Jacob's brother Esau is the patriarch of the Edomites and Esau himself is called Edom as well (Gen. 25-36). Although there is no such negative estimation of Edom as in the prophecies, here too Edom represents the nations, and serves as Israel's opponent. This study discusses the origin and development of Edom's exceptional role. It extensively analyses the connections between Obadiah (the only one of the four major oracles in which, like in Genesis, Edom is called Israel's brother), the other oracles, and Genesis. It sketches the literary history of these texts and discusses the possible historical background of the conceptions they share. Can the similarities in Edom's role be explained by assuming the same historical background for the two sets of texts? If so, why do the major oracles against Edom present an extremely negative, and the Jacob-Esau stories a relatively positive picture of Edom?