Esau

Esau

Esau [Heb.,=hairy], in the Bible, son of Isaac, who sold his birthright to his younger twin, Jacob , for lentil stew and who was tricked by Jacob out of his father's blessing. Also known as Edom [Heb.,=ruddy], the disinherited Esau settled on Mt. Seir, which became the home of his descendants, the Edomites, a tribe consistently hostile to the Jews. In tradition, Esau is represented as a rough hunter, deemed unworthy to inherit the mission of Abraham . The New Testament calls Esau "immoral and godless." Yet his descendants do become a nation, protected by God.

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"Esau." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Esau." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Esau.html

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Esau

Esau in the Bible, the elder of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca, who sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a mess of pottage, and was later tricked out of his father's blessing by his brother. The smooth-skinned Jacob deceived Isaac, who was blind, by using animal skins so that to his father's touch he felt like Esau, a ‘hairy man’; despite Isaac's words, ‘The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau’, he gave the blessing to his younger son.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Esau." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Esau." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Esau.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Esau." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Esau.html

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Esau

Esau ♂ Biblical name, borne by the elder twin brother of Jacob, to whom he sold his birthright for a bowl of soup (‘a mess of potage’ in the Authorized Version) when he came home tired and hungry from a hunt. The name seems to mean ‘hairy’ in Hebrew (Genesis 25:25 ‘and the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau’). It is now rarely used as a given name in the English-speaking world.

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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Esau." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Esau." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Esau.html

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Esau." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Esau.html

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Esau

Esau The elder son of Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 25: 26), who forfeited his legal right of inheritance to Jacob, so that Jacob was regarded as the ancestor of the people of Israel (Gen. 32: 28), while Esau was the ancestor of the Edomites (Gen. 36: 9). These folk-tales about individuals may reflect the historical relationships between Israelites and Edomites.

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W. R. F. BROWNING. "Esau." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

W. R. F. BROWNING. "Esau." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Esau.html

W. R. F. BROWNING. "Esau." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Esau.html

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Esau

Esau Old Testament figure who sold for refreshment his future inheritance to his scheming brother Jacob. The story probably derives from an attempt to give an ancient background to the enmity between the Israelites and the Edomites.

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"Esau." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Esau." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Esau.html

"Esau." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Esau.html

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Esau

Esau. Elder son of the patriarch Isaac, and twin brother of Jacob. The relationship between the two brothers was the subject of much aggadot, particularly since Esau/Edom was taken to represent Rome and all hostile governments.

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JOHN BOWKER. "Esau." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Esau." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Esau.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Esau." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Esau.html

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Esau

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"Esau." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Esau." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Esau.html

"Esau." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Esau.html

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