What do we know about the Edomites?

TL;DR:

The Edomites were descendants of Esau who made the Israelites’ lives difficult. God condemned the Edomites’ actions but called the Israelites not to hate them.

The Edomites descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, who was prophesied to serve his younger brother. Esau, red and hairy at birth, exchanged his birthright for red stew, leading to his descendants being called Edomites. Edom sounds like the Hebrew word for red. The Edomites inhabited areas including Seir, Bozrah, and Sela, and had kings before Israel did. The Edomites denied the Israelites passage during the exodus and were later subjugated by King Saul and King David and controlled by various empires. By New Testament times, the Edomites, now called Idumaeans, were forced to convert to Judaism and eventually disappeared from history, the prophecy of Jacob ruling over Esau being fulfilled.

from the old testament

The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the father of twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. Genesis 25 notes that these twin brothers wrestled in the womb and that God prophesied that the older (Esau) would serve the younger: "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23).
When he was born, Esau was considered red and hairy (Genesis 25:25). As an adult, Esau gave away his birthright to his brother Jacob in exchange for some red stew or soup because he was famished. This was noted as the reason he was called Edom since "Edom" in Hebrew sounds like the word for "red." Later, Edom's land would include the locations Seir (Joshua 24:4), Bozrah (Isaiah 63:1), and Sela (2 Kings 14:7, modern-day Petra).
In Genesis 36:31, the Bible records that the early Edomites had kings long before Israel had a king. The Edomites worshiped a variety of gods (the Jewish historian Josephus mentioned a god served by the Edomites named Koze) and lived in the land south of the Dead Sea that included red sandstone. In Numbers 20:14–21 the Israelites requested permission to pass through Edom during its forty-year wilderness journey. This request was turned down. Deuteronomy 23:7 commanded that the Israelites could not despise or hate the Edomites because of their family connection.
However, the Bible later records that King Saul attacked the Edomites (1 Samuel 14:47) and that King David made the Edomites servants forty years later (2 Samuel 8:13–14). After David died, a royal from Edom who had previously fled to Egypt became an adversary of Solomon (1 Kings 11:14–15).
When Jehoram was king of Israel, Moab rebelled against him. The king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, joined with him to fight against Moab. They went through Edom, and Edom also joined their side (2 Kings 3).
After Jehoshaphat's death, the people of Edom revolted against Judah (2 Kings 8:16–22).
During Ahaz's reign in Judah, the king of Syria recovered Elath from Judah, and the Edomites went to dwell there. Ahaz requested aid from Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, who agreed and overtook Damascus (2 Kings 16:5–9).
During the time of Nebuchadnezzar, Jerusalem was attacked and destroyed. Psalm 137:7 mentions that the Edomites were involved in the plunder of the city. God condemned this action (Isaiah 34:5–17; Jeremiah 49:7–22).

from the new testament

Between the Old and New Testament times, the Edomites were once again controlled by the Jews and forced to embrace Judaism. Since Greek language gained prominence during this time, they became called the Idumaeans. King Herod was an Idumaean and ruled at the time of the birth of Jesus; he also commanded the deaths of all males two years old and under in Bethlehem in order to destroy the threat of a Jewish king (Matthew 2:16–18).
The Idumaeans (still the Edomites) would eventually disappear from history. One of the last mentions of the Idumeans was a reference to the land of Idumea by the church leader Jerome around AD 400. The prediction that Esau (the Edomites) would serve Jacob (the Israelites) proved true.

implications for today

The history of the Edomites, descendants of Esau, offers several life lessons about family, choices, and the consequences of our actions. Esau's decision to exchange his birthright for immediate gratification led to long-term repercussions for his descendants, teaching us the importance of valuing long-term benefits over short-term desires. God’s ways bring life and are better than any short-term fulfillment we receive from sin. Proverbs 14:12 tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Esau’s short-term fulfillment left him with long-term consequences. The eventual subjugation and disappearance of the Edomites underline the theme of prophetic fulfillment, the judgment of evil, and the idea that we will each give an account for what we did with what God gave us. Romans 14:12 tells us, “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” That truth must change the way we live.

God’s call for the Israelites not to hate the Edomites emphasizes God’s value of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness even towards those who may cause us difficulties. Despite the Edomites' consistent opposition to the Israelites, God called the Israelites to follow Him, to do what was right, and to not abhor them. God calls us to love even our enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:43–45).

understand

The Edomites were descendants of Esau.
The Edomites caused Israel problems, but God called the Israelites to not repay evil with evil.
The Edomites turned from the Lord and worshiped false gods.

reflect

In what ways have you, like Esau, made decisions for immediate gratification without considering the long-term consequences? How does taking into account the long-term impact change your actions?
How do you respond to those who oppose or make your life difficult? How can you respond the way God instructed the Israelites regarding the Edomites?
Reflecting on the eventual fate of the Edomites, how does the concept of accountability before God influence the way you live your life and the decisions you make daily?

engage

What lessons can we draw from Esau’s exchange of his birthright for a moment of satisfaction and the long-term impact he had with his descendants opposing God and the Israelites?
Discuss the significance of God's command for the Israelites not to despise the Edomites despite their adversarial history. How can this principle be applied in contemporary contexts, such as dealing with difficult relationships or conflicts?
How does the history of the Edomites and their eventual disappearance underscore the themes of prophetic fulfillment and divine judgment? What insights can we gain about the importance of living in alignment with God's will and purposes?