Encyclopedia entry
Edom
Disambiguation
The source enumerates 2 distinct subjects under Edom. Jump to one below, or read in order.
Edom (1)
#The name of Esau (q.v.), Gen. 25:30, “Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage [Heb. haadom, haadom, i.e., ‘the red pottage, the red pottage’] ...Therefore was his name called Edom”, i.e., Red.
Edom (2)
#Idumea (Isa. 34:5, 6; Ezek. 35:15). “The field of Edom” (Gen. 32:3), “the land of Edom” (Gen. 36:16), was mountainous (Obad. 1:8, 9, 19, 21). It was called the land, or “the mountain of Seir,” the rough hills on the east side of the Arabah. It extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea (1 Kings 9:26), and contained, among other cities, the rock-hewn Sela (q.v.), generally known by the Greek name Petra (2 Kings 14:7). It is a wild and rugged region, traversed by fruitful valleys. Its old capital was Bozrah (Isa. 63:1). The early inhabitants of the land were Horites. They were destroyed by the Edomites (Deut. 2:12), between whom and the kings of Israel and Judah there was frequent war (2 Kings 8:20; 2 Chr. 28:17).
At the time of the Exodus they churlishly refused permission to the Israelites to pass through their land (Num. 20:14-21), and ever afterwards maintained an attitude of hostility toward them. They were conquered by David (2 Sam. 8:14; comp. 1 Kings 9:26), and afterwards by Amaziah (2 Chr. 25:11, 12). But they regained again their independence, and in later years, during the decline of the Jewish kingdom (2 Kings 16:6; R.V. marg., “Edomites”), made war against Israel. They took part with the Chaldeans when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, and afterwards they invaded and held possession of the south of Palestine as far as Hebron. At length, however, Edom fell under the growing Chaldean power (Jer. 27:3, 6).
There are many prophecies concerning Edom (Isa. 34:5, 6; Jer. 49:7-18; Ezek. 25:13; 35:1-15; Joel 3:19; Amos 1:11; Obad.; Mal. 1:3, 4) which have been remarkably fulfilled. The present desolate condition of that land is a standing testimony to the inspiration of these prophecies. After an existence as a people for above seventeen hundred years, they have utterly disappeared, and their language even is forgotten for ever. In Petra, “where kings kept their court, and where nobles assembled, there no man dwells; it is given by lot to birds, and beasts, and reptiles.”
The Edomites were Semites, closely related in blood and in language to the Israelites. They dispossessed the Horites of Mount Seir; though it is clear, from Gen. 36, that they afterwards intermarried with the conquered population. Edomite tribes settled also in the south of Judah, like the Kenizzites (Gen. 36:11), to whom Caleb and Othniel belonged (Josh. 15:17). The southern part of Edom was known as Teman.
In the Bible
111
Verses where Edom is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).
- 1 Chronicles 1:43
These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor. His city was named Dinhabah.
- 1 Chronicles 1:51
Then Hadad died. Now the chiefs of Edom were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,
- 1 Chronicles 1:54
Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.
- 1 Chronicles 13:13
So he did not move the ark with him to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
- 1 Chronicles 13:14
Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he owned.
- 1 Chronicles 15:18
and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.
+105 more verses naming Edom.
Scripture on Edom
59
See all 59 +−
- 1 Kings 111 Chronicles 151 Chronicles 262 Chronicles 25Ezekiel 25Amos 1Joshua 152 Samuel 62 Samuel 81 Kings 92 Kings 82 Kings 141 Chronicles 12 Chronicles 21Obadiah 1Genesis 25Genesis 32Judges 111 Chronicles 131 Chronicles 161 Chronicles 18Psalms 60Psalms 108Isaiah 63Jeremiah 27Lamentations 4Ezekiel 35Joel 3Malachi 1Exodus 15Numbers 21Numbers 24Numbers 33Numbers 34Deuteronomy 2Judges 51 Samuel 141 Kings 222 Kings 162 Chronicles 82 Chronicles 202 Chronicles 28Psalms 83Psalms 137Isaiah 11Jeremiah 9Jeremiah 25Jeremiah 40Ezekiel 16Ezekiel 32Ezekiel 36Daniel 11Amos 2Amos 9
Entries that reference Edom
86
See all 86 +−
- AlvahAmalekAnakimArabiaAradAvithBaalBaal-hananBedadBelaBeorBozrahChildDedanDinhabahDumahEderEdom, Idumaea Or IdumeaEdomitesElahElath, ElothEsauGebalGovernorHadadHavilahHorHorimHoritesHoshamIdumaeaIdumeaJaalamJagurJehoramJehoshaphatJinahJoabJobabJoktheelKadeshKenazKir-harasethKorahLibnahLimeMagdielManMatredMehetabelMezahabMibzarMidianiteMoabNahathObededomObothPauPhoenice, PhoeniciaPinonRed SeaSalt, Valley ofSamlahSeirSelaSerpent, FieryShammahShaulTemaTemanTimna, Or TimnahTimnahUzUz, The land ofWritingZaavanZairZalmonahZedekiahZeredZin
Edom references
27
Voices on Edom
24
Surfaced by name match — accuracy varies by title clarity.
Sources · Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869) · Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.