Esau

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"Esaw" redirects here. For the Native American tribe, see Catawba (tribe).

Esau (Hebrew עֵשָׂו‎, Standard Hebrew Esav, Tiberian Hebrew Ēśāw) is the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the older twin brother of Jacob in the biblical Book of Genesis, who, in the Torah, was tricked by Jacob into giving up his birthright (leadership of Israel) for a "mess of pottage" (meal of lentils). (Genesis 25:29-34). From this, "Esau" in western religions has metaphorically stood for anyone who is tricked into a worthless bargain. Esau was considered to be a great hunter.

The root of the name in Hebrew is derived from the word asuy denoting "completion", made and complete, since Esau was born hairy and very strong, being "completed" and not infantile. Esau has also been called Edom, which is also the name of the land where his descendants settled (Gen 36:16). Genesis connects this name with the red stew for which Esau exchanged his birthright (Genesis 25:27-34), as adom (spelled the same way as edom in Hebrew) means red. The Bible also describes Esau as being "Ruddy" (Genesis 25:25) which could refer to his hair or his complexion (or both). The Midrash (Bereshith Rabbah) explains the biblical description of Esau as "ruddy" as being a symbol for Esau's violent behavior.

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Abraham--|                                                    
        ---Isaac--|
Sarah----|  |     ---Jacob                        
            |     |
            |     ---Esau 
            |     |                        
          Rebekah-|
                                          

[edit] Symbolic struggle

The Biblical narrative describes Jacob and Esau in the womb of their mother as being locked in constant struggle and combat. The narrative continues that she could not bear the pain of her pregnancy, yet is told by God that she will give birth to two nations who will always be locked in combat, each trying to overpower the other. Later Jacob is described as a dweller of tents and Esau as a wild hunter.

The text (Genesis 25: vv 29-34) does not justify the allegation just made that Jacob tricked Esau into selling his birthright. What seems clear from the text is that Esau did not see his birthright as affecting anyone but himself while alive, hence his statement: "Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall the birthright do to me?" (verse 32) It is not at all clear that he was indeed about to die and the circumstances suggest anything but; the text says that he was faint, not that he was at the point of death. A traditional explanation is that his dramatic words were exaggeration. This is borne out by the fact that the text says (verse 34) that "Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink and rose up, and went his way." Not the action of a man who had actually been close to death minutes before. And trickery by Jacob? Certainly not. To trick is "to deceive, cheat, beguile." (Chambers 1998 edition)

According to all midrashim, Esau is a very significant character in world history. Inasmuch as Jacob is considered to be the progenitor of the Children of Israel, it is Esau who is regarded as the forefather of Rome and the Roman Empire ^{[citation needed]}. The struggle between the Roman Empire and the Jews stemming from the land of Judah alternated, according to history, between cooperation and outright hate and warfare. The argument is proposed that Esau was born with red coloring in his hair and body, and the ancient rabbis have connected this with the red banner and standard favored by Rome's legions ^{[citation needed]}.

After Jacob tricks Esau into eschewing Isaac's blessing as leader, Esau is given the blessing that he shall "live by the sword". Some see this as another sign of Rome, famous for her unique sword made of steel - the gladius - that smashed its way to world hegemony and on the way massacred the descendants of Jacob/Israel ^{[citation needed]}.

Another explanation is that Esau is described by the Bible as ancestor of the Edomites, the Hebrews' neighbors (and on many occasions, enemies) to the south. King Herod, whom many Jews considered as a usurper and destroyed of the legitimate Hasmonean dynasty, was an Edomite (though converted to Judaism). And since Herod was a collaborator with the Roman rule, the ancestor of the Roman's collaborator became identified with the Romans themselves.

Later, when the Roman Empire turned Christian, Esau became perforce identified with Christianity and Christians. This was reinforced by the rise of Islam, whose followers outspokenly claimed Ismael as their ancestor. This created for Jews a neat symmetrical view of history, with each of the competing monotheistic religions identified with a brother of a Jewish Patriarch (Ismael, brother of Isaac, and Esau, brother of Jacob).

True Jews were identified as only those who share ancestry through all three of the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with the branches founded by Ismael and Esau being excluded from the Divine Promise to posses Eretz Yisrael. This was mainly an abstruse theological issue until the rise of Zionism, but is a potent and emotive argument for the religious extreme-right in present-day Israel.

Jews living in a Christian environment tended to attribute to Esau the cultural characteristic of their neighbors. For example, in Yiddish folksongs Esau is often depicted as an immoderate consumer of alcoholic drinks, which has no Biblical basis but is evidently drawn from a widespread practice in Slavic societies (which most Jews in the same countries conspicuously did not participate, at least until well into the Twentieth Century).

In some cases, Esau's role is expanded to being identified with all non-Jews, whatever their religion - especially in the context of antisemitism. The Talmudic saying "It is well-known that Esau hates Jacob" (Hebrew: הלכה בידוע שעשיו שונא ליעקב) ^{[citation needed]} is often quoted, up to the present, by nationalist and isolationist Jewish groups asserting that Jew-hatred is an endemic and incurable phenomenon of some non-Jewish societies ^{[citation needed]}, and that all efforts at reconciliation with non-Jews, achieving equality in a non-Jewish environment or assimilation are futile and doomed to failure.

Notwithstanding all this, Esau is a Jew according to the Orthodox definition, although his descendants are not Jews by birth.

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.

[edit] The descendants of Esau at the end of time

The story of the Patriarch Isaac being subjected to trickery is well known. Isaac blessed his secondborn son Jacob and gave him the dominion. But another less known fact is that Isaac pronounced a leftover blessing over his son Esau. He prophesied that Esau will eventually become restless. At some point in history Esau will cast Jacob's yoke of submission from off his neck. At that time the modern children of Esau will run wild. The blessing of Isaac which is applicable here is given in Genesis chapter 27:38-39. It is a prophecy that the descendants of Esau will eventually emerge into world history and express themselves in a wanton and savage way.

The Edomites were always an untamed, predacious, and godless race of people. This prophecy suggests that the children of Esau will break loose from civility and restraint as this age comes to its tumultuous and climactic conclusion. The prophet Daniel, in Daniel 11:41 indicates that the realm of Edom will even escape the control of a mighty king who will precede Moshiach. The prophet Jeremiah predicts a future time when the peaceful law abiding people of Jacob will come into a period of special difficulties which he terms 'Jacob's Trouble'. (Jer. 30) This has been identified as the Tribulation drama of the End times.

Bible students are beginning to discuss the Old Testament prophecies that tell of Messiah coming to judge the wicked at Bozrah. The prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 63 shows the returning Messiah in graphic terms. He is trampling His enemies on the Day of Judgement. The place of this divine wrath is out at Esau's sheepfolds at Bozrah. Apparently Bozrah will be another place of God's Last Judgement. It will be similar to the divine judgement carried out against the armies of the nations threatening Jerusalem from the Valley of Armageddon at end of the age.