Esau

Esau is an Edomite living at the time of the Patriarchs. He is named in 70 verses of the Bible, first in Genesis 25:25.

Family

Verses

Genesis

• Genesis 25:25
  And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau.
• Genesis 25:26
  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.
• Genesis 25:27
  And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.
• Genesis 25:28
  And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
• Genesis 25:29
  And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished.
• Genesis 25:30
  And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
• Genesis 25:32
  And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?“Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”
• Genesis 25:34
  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
• Genesis 26:34
  And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.
• Genesis 27:1
  And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
• Genesis 27:5
  And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.Now Rebekah was listening to what Isaac told his son Esau. So when Esau went into the field to hunt game and bring it back,
• Genesis 27:6
  And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I overheard your father saying to your brother Esau,
• Genesis 27:11
  And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:Jacob answered his mother Rebekah, “Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, but I am smooth-skinned.
• Genesis 27:15
  And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:And Rebekah took the finest clothes in the house that belonged to her older son Esau, and she put them on her younger son Jacob.
• Genesis 27:19
  And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may bless me.”
• Genesis 27:21
  And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau, or not?”
• Genesis 27:22
  And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.So Jacob came close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”
• Genesis 27:23
  And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.Isaac did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him.
• Genesis 27:24
  And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.Again he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he replied, “I am.”
• Genesis 27:30
  And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.As soon as Isaac had finished blessing him and Jacob had left his father’s presence, his brother Esau returned from the hunt.
• Genesis 27:32
  And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.But his father Isaac replied, “Who are you?” “I am Esau, your firstborn son,” he answered.
• Genesis 27:34
  And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me too, O my father!”
• Genesis 27:37
  And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?But Isaac answered Esau: “Look, I have made him your master and given him all his relatives as servants; I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?”
• Genesis 27:38
  And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, O my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.
• Genesis 27:41
  And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
• Genesis 27:42
  And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.When the words of her older son Esau were relayed to Rebekah, she sent for her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you.
• Genesis 28:5
  And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan–aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.So Isaac sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.
• Genesis 28:6
  When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padan–aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to take a wife there, commanding him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,”
• Genesis 28:8
  And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,
• Genesis 28:9
  Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.
• Genesis 32:3
  And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
• Genesis 32:4
  And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now.
• Genesis 32:6
  And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you—he and four hundred men with him.”
• Genesis 32:8
  And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one camp, then the other camp can escape.”
• Genesis 32:11
  Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me and the mothers and children with me.
• Genesis 32:13
  And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
• Genesis 32:17
  And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’
• Genesis 32:18
  Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’”
• Genesis 32:19
  And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.He also instructed the second, the third, and all those following behind the herds: “When you meet Esau, you are to say the same thing to him.
• Genesis 33:1
  And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.
• Genesis 33:4
  And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
• Genesis 33:9
  And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.“I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”
• Genesis 33:15
  And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.“Let me leave some of my people with you,” Esau said. But Jacob replied, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
• Genesis 33:16
  So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir,
• Genesis 35:1
  And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth–el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
• Genesis 35:29
  And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
• Genesis 36:1
  Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom).
• Genesis 36:2
  Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite,
• Genesis 36:4
  And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath gave birth to Reuel,
• Genesis 36:5
  And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
• Genesis 36:6
  And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.Later, Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the people of his household, along with his livestock, all his other animals, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan, and he moved to a land far away from his brother Jacob.
• Genesis 36:8
  Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.
• Genesis 36:9
  And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the area of Mount Seir.
• Genesis 36:10
  These are the names of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
• Genesis 36:12
  And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife.Additionally, Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, gave birth to Amalek. These are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.
• Genesis 36:13
  And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
• Genesis 36:14
  And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah (daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon) whom she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
• Genesis 36:15
  These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,These are the chiefs among the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,
• Genesis 36:17
  And these are the sons of Reuel Esau’s son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.These are the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
• Genesis 36:18
  And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau’s wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife.These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. They are the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
• Genesis 36:19
  These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.All these are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and they were their chiefs.
• Genesis 36:21
  And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. They are the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants of Seir in the land of Edom.

Joshua

• Joshua 24:4
  And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

1 Chronicles

• 1 Chronicles 1:34
  And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.
• 1 Chronicles 1:35
  The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
• 1 Chronicles 1:51
  Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth,Then Hadad died. Now the chiefs of Edom were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,
• 1 Chronicles 1:54
  Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.

Romans

• Romans 9:13
  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Hebrews

• Hebrews 11:20
  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.
• Hebrews 12:16
  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.

Notes

1. Names, family links and verses from STEPBible's Translators Individualised Proper Names (TIPNR), STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0.
2. Where several people share a name, which verses belong to which person, and the family links, follow STEPBible's identifications; some are uncertain and are marked so.