Location of the Modern-Day Edomites in Biblical Prophecy
The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the elder son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob [2]. The name Edom, meaning "red," was given to Esau after he sold his birthright for red lentil pottage [3]. Their territory, also known as Idumea or Mount Seir, was a mountainous region extending along the eastern side of the Arabah, from the head of the Gulf of Aqabah to the Dead Sea [2, 3]. This area is located southeast of Judah [6].
Biblical prophecy concerning the Edomites often refers to their historical territory and their relationship with Israel. Their capital city was Sela, later known as Petra, situated in the great valley between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea [4]. Another significant Edomite city mentioned in prophecy is Bozrah, located in the mountain district of Petra, about 20 miles southeast of the Dead Sea [1].
Prophecies in the Old Testament frequently address Edom. For instance, Isaiah 34:6 and Jeremiah 49:13 mention Bozrah in prophecies of judgment [1]. Obadiah's prophecy is entirely focused on Edom, and other prophets like Jeremiah borrowed expressions from it [5]. Isaiah 21:11-17 contains prophecies pertaining to Edom and Arabia, noting their suffering under Assyrian and Babylonian domination [8]. These prophecies often highlight Edom's long-standing enmity toward Israel [5].
The Edomites were recognized by the Israelites as "brethren" due to their shared ancestry through Abraham, as seen when Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom during the Exodus [7]. Despite this familial connection, their relationship was often contentious.
While the biblical texts clearly locate the historical Edomites in a specific geographical region, the question of their "modern-day" location in biblical prophecy is complex. Prophecies concerning Edom primarily deal with their historical existence and their interactions with ancient Israel and surrounding empires [5, 8]. The texts do not explicitly identify a modern-day nation or people group as the direct continuation of the Edomites in a way that would be relevant for contemporary prophetic interpretation. The focus of these prophecies tends to be on the historical judgments and fulfillments related to the ancient nation of Edom.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Bozrah — Enclosure; fortress. (1.) The city of Jobab, one of the early Edomite kings (Gen. 36:33). This place is mentioned by the prophets in later times (Isa. 34:6; Jer. 49:13; Amos 1:12; Micah 2:12). Its modern representative is el-Busseireh. It lies in the mountain district of Petra, 20 miles to the south-east of the Dead Sea. (2.) A Moabite city in the "plain country" (Jer. 48:24), i.e., on the high level down on the east of the Dead Sea. It is probably the modern Buzrah.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Edom, Idumaea Or Idumea — (red). The name Edom was given to Esau, the first-born son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob, when he sold his birthright to the latter for a meal of lentil pottage. The country which the Lord subsequently gave to Esau was hence called "the country of Edom," (Genesis 32:3) and his descendants were called Edomites. Edom was called Mount Seir and Idumea also. Edom was wholly a mountainous country. It embraced the narrow mountainous tract (about 100 miles long by 20 broad) extending along the eastern side of the Arabah from the northern end of ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Edom — (1.) The name of Esau (q.v.), Gen. 25:30, "Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage [Heb. haadom, haadom, i.e., the red pottage, the red pottage'] ...Therefore was his name called Edom", i.e., Red. (2.) Idumea (Isa. 34:5, 6; Ezek. 35:15). "The field of Edom" (Gen. 32:3), "the land of Edom" (Gen. 36:16), was mountainous (Obad. 1:8, 9, 19, 21). It was called the land, or "the mountain of Seir," the rough hills on the east side of the Arabah. It extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea (1 Kings 9:26), an”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sela — =Se'lah, rock, the capital of Edom, situated in the great valley extending from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea (2 Kings 14:7). It was near Mount Hor, close by the desert of Zin. It is called "the rock" (Judg. 1:36). When Amaziah took it he called it Joktheel (q.v.) It is mentioned by the prophets (Isa. 16:1; Obad. 1:3) as doomed to destruction. It appears in later history and in the Vulgate Version under the name of Petra. "The caravans from all ages, from the interior of Arabia and from the Gulf of Persia, from Hadramaut on the ocean, and even from Sabea or Yeme”
- Jeremiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 49:7: The Edomites come next to receive their doom from God, by the mouth of Jeremiah: they also were old enemies to the Israel of God; but their day will come to be reckoned with, and it is now at hand, and is foretold, not only for warning to them, but for comfort to the Israel of God, whose afflictions were very much aggravated by their triumphs over them and joy in their calamity, Psa 137:7. Many of the expressions used in this prophecy concerning Edom are borrowed from the prophecy of Obadiah, which is concerning Edom; for, all the prophets being inspired by one ”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 83:6: 83:6-7 The Edomites, descendants of Esau, were located to the southeast of Judah (see Gen 25:30; 32:3; 36:1-8). • Ishmaelites were desert-dwelling descendants of Hagar. • Moabites and Ammonites descended from Lot; both were located to the east of Israel and Judah. • The Hagrites were possibly located north of the Ammonites (1 Chr 5:10).”
- Numbers (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Numbers 20:14: Moses sent messengers . . . to the king of Edom--The encampment at Kadesh was on the confines of the Edomite territory, through which the Israelites would have had an easy passage across the Arabah by Wady-el-Ghuweir, so that they could have continued their course around Moab, and approached Palestine from the east [ROBERTS]. The Edomites, being the descendants of Esau and tracing their line of descent from Abraham as their common stock, were recognized by the Israelites as brethren, and a very brotherly message was sent to them.”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 21:11: 21:11-17 These two prophecies pertain to Edom and Arabia, located in the territory between Babylon and Israel. These outlying regions suffered under Assyrian domination, and like Judah, they would not be able to rest under Babylon’s oppressive regime. 21:11-12 Edom: Hebrew Seir, which was the mountainous area of Edom. • how much longer until morning: Edom’s suffering would be a long ordeal. The Assyrians were dominant in the ancient Near East during the 700s and 600s BC.”