Who was Esau in the Bible?
Edomite, in the age of the patriarchs
Esau, also known as Edom, was the firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah and the twin brother of Israel (or 'Jacob') (Gen.25.25-26). Esau appears in 79 verses across 9 books of the Bible.
The Bible uses the name Esau for 2 different entries. All 2 are below, each with its own passages.
Esau (Edom)
Esau, also known as Edom, was the firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah and the twin brother of Israel (or 'Jacob') (Gen.25.25-26). He was a skillful hunter and his father's favorite son (Gen.25.27-28). Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew when he was famished (Gen.25.29-34). He married two Hittite women, causing grief to his parents (Gen.26.34-35). Esau lost his father's blessing to Jacob through deception (Genesis 27). He held a grudge against Jacob but later reconciled with him (Genesis 32-33). Esau settled in the hill country of Seir, which became known as Edom (Gen.36.8-9). He had five sons and became the father of the Edomites (Gen.36.1-43). The Edomites were later considered enemies of Israel (Num.20.14-21; 1Sa.14.47; 2Sa.8.13-14). God's love for Jacob and His rejection of Esau is used as an example of His sovereignty (Mal.1.2-3; Rom.9.13).
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Esau in Obadiah
E'SAU, or E'DOM, son of Isaac and Rebecca, and twin brother of Jacob. Gen 25:25; Gen 36:1. The most important events of his life are so intimately connected with the life of Jacob that they will be considered under Jacob. His family settled on Mount Seir, east of Jordan, which was hence called Edom, and his descendants were the Edomites, one of the most powerful and formidable nations of that age. See Edom.
4 verses: Obadiah 1:8, Obadiah 1:9, Obadiah 1:19, Obadiah 1:21
Definition text: Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible · 1898. Public domain.
Where does Esau appear in the Bible?
Esau is referenced in 79 verses across 9 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 1:34
- 1 Chronicles 1:35
- Deuteronomy 2:4
- Deuteronomy 2:5
- Deuteronomy 2:8
- Deuteronomy 2:12
- Deuteronomy 2:22
- Deuteronomy 2:29
- Genesis 25:25
- Genesis 25:26
- Genesis 25:27
- Genesis 25:28
- Genesis 25:29
- Genesis 25:32
- Genesis 25:34
- Genesis 26:34
- Genesis 27:1
- Genesis 27:5
- Genesis 27:6
- Genesis 27:11
- Genesis 27:15
- Genesis 27:19
- Genesis 27:21
- Genesis 27:22
Showing the first 24 of 79.
Open all 79 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Esau.
Common questions
How many people in the Bible are called Esau?
Esau refers to 2 different entries in the Bible: Esau (Edom); Esau in Obadiah.
How many times does the Bible mention Esau?
Esau appears in 79 verses across 9 books, most often in Genesis, which accounts for 57 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Esau?
Genesis, Deuteronomy, Obadiah, 1 Chronicles, Hebrews, Jeremiah, Malachi, Joshua, and 1 more.
Where can I read every verse about Esau?
This page lists 24 of them. Protos carries all 79, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
