Note: Not too much is known about Esau. He was the first born of the two twin brothers: Esau and Jacob,who were  born to Rebecca and Isaac (Gen.25:24,25). He sold his birth to his brother for a portion of porridge (Gen. 25:30-34). Later he tried to kill his brother for tricking him out of his inheritance and his father's blessing( Gen. 27). Scripture often refers to Esau as the land of Edom in which his descendents lived(Gen.36:1,8) because he was the founder of the the land of Edom. Edom and its people the Edomites are mentioned in several of the Prophets. King Saul fought against them and David conquered them (2 Sam. 8:14) and they are mentioned by some of the kings of Assyria to whom they paid tribute. 

Back to Lesson 10

Page last updated: March 04, 2003