Who
The elder twin of Jacob, a hunter, also called Edom, the father of the Edomites. Coming in famished from the field he sold his birthright for a meal: “So Esau despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34), and later lost his father’s blessing to Jacob. Years after, he met his brother with an embrace (Genesis 33). Hebrews warns against being “profane … like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal” (Hebrews 12:16), and Paul finds in “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Romans 9:13) the freedom of God’s choice. The Fathers read the two brothers, as the oracle to Rebekah did, as two peoples, the elder serving the younger.
Key verses
- Genesis 25:23
The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.”
- Genesis 25:34
Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
- Genesis 27:15
Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.
- Genesis 36:4
Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz. Basemath bore Reuel.
- Genesis 36:5
Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
- 1 Chronicles 1:34
Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.
- Romans 9:13
Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
- Hebrews 12:16
lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.
Where the Bible names him
Family
- Children
- Brothers and sisters
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name him (8 of 36).
- Jerome, Against Jovinianus Book 1
Jovinianus, concerning whom we know little more than is to be found in the two following books, had published at Rome a Latin treatise containing all, or part of the opinions here controverted, viz. (1) “That a…
- Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Chapter 1
Occasion of Writing. Relative Position of Jews and Gentiles Illustrated. VII. It happened very recently a dispute was held between a Christian and a Jewish proselyte. Alternately with contentious cable they each spun…
- Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women II.1
Chapter II.—Perfect Modesty Will Abstain from Whatever Tends to Sin, as Well as from Sin Itself. Difference Between Trust and Presumption. If Secure Ourselves, We Must Not Put Temptation in the Way of Others. We Must…
- Hippolytus of Rome, Exegetical Fragments §4
Quoted in Jerome, Epist. 36, ad Damasum, Num. xviii. (from Galland). III. Isaac conveys a figure of God the Father; Rebecca of the Holy Spirit; Esau of the first people and the devil; Jacob of the Church, or of…
- Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures Lecture 5
On the Ten Points of Doctrine. Colossians ii. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, &c. 1. Vice mimics virtue, and the…
- Tertullian, On Modesty Chapter 8
Of the Prodigal Son. But, however, the majority of interpreters of the parables are deceived by the self-same result as is of very frequent occurrence in the case of embroidering garments with purple. When you think…
- Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.9
Various quibbling arguments, advanced by the Arians to show that the Son had a beginning of existence, are considered and refuted, on the ground that whilst the Arians plainly prove nothing, or if they prove…
- Augustine of Hippo, Confessions VII.9
He Compares the Doctrine of the Platonists Concerning the Λόγος With the Much More Excellent Doctrine of Christianity. Chapter IX.—He Compares the Doctrine of the Platonists Concerning the Λόγος With the Much More…