Edomites

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 11
In addition to the above remarks on Edom there remain a few things to notice which are said of the people themselves. Isaac said of Esau, “Thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother: and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck” (Gen. 27:39-4039And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; 40And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. (Genesis 27:39‑40)). This prediction was fulfilled, for though they were defeated again and again by the kings of Israel, they were at length able to declare their freedom. The fierce way they replied to Moses when he wanted Israel to pass through their border, manifested their disposition. They must have greatly increased, as is shown by the numbers that were slain in some of the wars; and though in the time of David we read of every male in Edom being slain (1 Kings 11:15-1615For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom; 16(For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:) (1 Kings 11:15‑16)), they again became numerous and were again defeated. In the time of the Maccabees John Hyrcanus compelled the Edomites to be circumcised and to conform to the Jewish laws, or leave the country. They were circumcised, and one of them became procurator of Judaea—Antipater, the father of HEROD THE GREAT, who was an Edomite, or Idumean, by birth, though nominally a Jew.