אֱדֹם
Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him
Definition
Edom is a proper noun with two primary, interconnected meanings in the Hebrew Bible. First, it is the name given to Esau, the elder twin brother of Jacob, after he traded his birthright for red stew (Genesis 25:30). Second, it refers to the nation and territory southeast of the Dead Sea, named after its founding ancestor, Esau-Edom (Genesis 36:1, 8-9). The region is also called Idumea in later periods (e.g., Mark 3:8). The biblical narrative consistently portrays Edom as a rival nation to Israel, descended from the brotherly conflict between Jacob and Esau.
Biblical Usage
The term is used 91 times throughout the Old Testament, primarily in narrative, prophetic, and poetic books. It appears in the foundational stories of Genesis (25:30, 36:1-43), establishing the familial and national origins. Later, it frequently denotes the hostile nation bordering Judah, featured in conflict stories (Numbers 20:14-21, 2 Samuel 8:14) and as a subject of prophetic oracles of judgment (Isaiah 34:5-6, Jeremiah 49:7-22, Obadiah 1). The usage consistently reinforces Edom's identity as Israel's 'brother' and perennial adversary.
Etymology
The name אֱדֹם (ʼĔdôm) derives directly from the Hebrew root אָדֹם (ʼādōm, H122), meaning 'red.' This connection is made explicit in Genesis 25:30, where Esau, exhausted, asks for some of Jacob's 'red stuff' (הָאָדֹם הָאָדֹם הַזֶּה), leading to his nickname Edom, 'the Red.' The name thus links the ancestor to the reddish terrain of the region he inhabited and to the pivotal moment where he traded his birthright.
Semantic Range
Edom is theologically significant as the embodiment of a fleshly, hostile world opposed to God's covenant people. The brotherly enmity between Jacob/Israel and Esau/Edom (Malachi 1:2-3) becomes a paradigm for spiritual conflict and divine election. Prophetic judgments against Edom (Obadiah 1, Ezekiel 35) symbolize God's ultimate judgment on pride, violence, and betrayal against His people. Understanding this deep-seated rivalry enriches readings of passages about national conflict and God's sovereignty in history.
In its original setting, Edom referred to a specific Iron Age kingdom known for its wisdom (Jeremiah 49:7), trade routes, and fortified mountain settlements like Sela (Petra). The biblical portrayal of enduring hostility reflects genuine historical conflicts between Judah and Edom, which peaked with Edomite participation in Jerusalem's fall (Psalm 137:7, Obadiah 1:10-14). The label 'brother' (Deuteronomy 23:7) added a layer of cultural betrayal to their political rivalry, making Edom's actions particularly reprehensible to Israelite readers.
שֵׂעִיר (Śēʿîr, H8165) — The mountainous region of Edom; a geographic synonym. עֵשָׂו (ʿĒśāw, H6215) — The personal name of the individual, Esau, before/alongside the name Edom.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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