עֵשָׂו97 H6215
Esau — the firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Jacob, ancestor and eponym of the Edomites
Esav is one of the most theologically charged personal names in the Hebrew Bible. Born gripping his twin brother's heel (Gen 25:25-26), Esau is remembered as the impulsive hunter who sold his birthright for a bowl of stew (Gen 25:29-34) and lost the patriarchal blessing to Jacob's deception (Gen 27). Yet the narrative also shows a man capable of generous forgiveness (Gen 33:4). In prophetic literature Esau becomes synonymous with Edom, his descendants' territory in the hill country of Seir — so that 'house of Esau' and 'mount Esau' in Obadiah designate the nation rather than the man. Malachi 1:2-3, quoted by Paul in Romans 9:13, crystallizes the theological tension: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'
Senses
1. Esau (personal name, son of Isaac) — The proper name Esav, designating the elder son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Jacob (Gen 25:25). All 97 occurrences refer to this single individual, though the name frequently extends by metonymy to his descendants and their territory — 'the mount of Esau' (Obad 8-9), 'the house of Esau' (Obad 18), and plain 'Esau' standing for Edom (Jer 49:8). Spanish 'Esav,' French 'Esau,' and German 'Esaw' all transliterate the Hebrew. The name's etymology is debated, sometimes linked to the root for 'hairy' (se'ar), matching the birth narrative of Gen 25:25. 97×
AR["عيسو", "عِيسُو"]·ben["এষৌ", "এষৌর", "ঐষৌ", "ঐষৌর"]·DE["Esaw", "Esaws"]·EN["Esau"]·FR["Ésaü"]·heb["עשו", "עשו ׀"]·HI["एसाव", "एसाव-की", "एसाव-के", "एसाव-ने", "एसाव-से"]·ID["Esau"]·IT["Esaù"]·jav["Esau", "Ésau"]·KO["에서", "에서가", "에서는", "에서라", "에서를", "에서의"]·PT["'Esav"]·RU["Исав", "Исава", "Исавом", "Исаву"]·ES["Esav"]·SW["Esau", "cha-Esau", "ya-Esau", "za-Esau"]·TR["Esav", "Esav'ın", "ve-adını-koydu", "çünkü"]·urd["عیسو", "عیسو-نے", "عیسو-کی", "عیسو-کے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
עֵשָׂו97 n.pr.m. Esau, Ησαυ;—Esau, elder son of Isaac Gn 25:25, 26 + 7 times 25, 26:34; 27:1 + 24 times 27, 28; 32:4 + 15 times 32, 33, 35; Jos 24:4(×2) Mal 1:2, 3; 1 Ch 1:34; identif. with אֱדוֹם Gn 36:1, 8, 19, ancestor of Edomites v 9, 43, cf. 1 Ch 1:35; dwelling in Mt. Seir Gn 36:8 (25 times in all, Gn 36) Dt 2:5; Jos 24:4; בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו = Edomites Dt 2:4, 8, 12, 22, 29; עֵשָׂו = Edom Je 49:8; Ob 6, בֵּית עֵשָׂו v 18(×2), הַר עֵשָׂו v 8, 9, 19, 21.