Esau

Esau
Biographical
Sibling(s)	Jacob (Younger Twin Brother)
Parents	Isaac Rebekah
Spouse(s)	Judith Adah Basemath Oholibamah
Offspring	Eliphaz Reuel Jeush Jalam Korah
Social
Social class	Patriarch
Occupation	Hunter
Ethnicity	Edomite
Religion	Yahwism
Race	Semite

Esau was the older twin brother of Jacob, and the first son of Isaac and Rebekah. He sold his birthright to his younger brother's (most likely in a jokingly or non-serious matter) after he was hungry for his soup.

Biography

Early life

For many years Isaac desired to have a child with his wife Rebekah and so he prayed for her. God granted the couple's wish, and promised children to be born unto them. While in the womb the babies fought with each other.

Before Esau's birth, God told Rebekah that her older son would serve the younger one and that two separate nations would be born from her. This was the reason for the fighting between the two in the womb. This was an unusual concept in ancient times because the oldest son was regarded as the heir of the father's wealth, power and authority.

Esau was born first and was red colored and very hairy, and so he was named Esau accordingly. But when his twin brother Jacob was being born, he was holding onto Esau's heel.

Esau grew up to be a hunter and enjoyed the country, while his brother would stay at home. Since Esau enjoyed the wild, Issac sharing a similar interest favored him.

Selling his birthright

One day, Esau returned from an unsuccessful hunting trip and was famished. He saw that Jacob had been cooking food and he asked for a serving. Jacob asked him if he would be willing to sell his rights as the first-born son in exchange for a bowl of food. Esau agreed.)

Regardless of whether Esau was being serious or flippant in selling off his birthright, Jacob sought to make good on the deal and, with his mother's help, tricked his aging father into giving Jacob the blessing that traditionally would been reserved for the first-born.

After Jacob had gotten the blessing from his father, Esau vowed to kill Jacob. To protect Jacob, his mother arranged for him to live with her relatives in Haran. Jacob lived in Haran for about 20 years, working for his uncle, Laban.

Marriages

Esau married Hittite women, against his parents wishes. When Esau realized that his Hittite wives distressed his parents, he additionally married Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son.

Reunion with Jacob

When Jacob returned home from Paddan Aram after 20 years, he was afraid that Esau would still try to kill him. Jacob sent messengers to Esau informing him of his arrival, and the messengers reported that Esau was coming to meet Jacob with 400 men, which greatly alarmed Jacob. Jacob prepared gifts to appease Esau before they met again. But Esau's heart had also changed while Jacob was gone, and he now had no intention of harming his brother. When Esau saw Jacob coming, he ran to meet him and the reunited brothers embraced and wept. Although Esau and Jacob were now reconciled, they lived a ways apart, each with his own family and multitude of possessions. While Jacob lived near Shechem, Esau lived at Mount Seir. But, when Isaac died, the two brothers reunited again to bury their father together.

Characteristics

Esau is described as immoral He is indicated not to be the heir of Isaac but rather his brother Jacob. It is described that Esau was "hated by God" and shows that he did not have a faith in God. Before his birth, God foresees that from Esau's descendants would become subject to Israel at one point. Esau is often used as a synonym to refer to the nation of Edom, particularly in the book of Jeremiah.