The Edomites, descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob, hold a significant place in biblical history. Their territory, Edom, was located to the southeast of Israel, in the region stretching from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The relationship between the Israelites and the Edomites was complex, marked by both kinship and conflict.

Historical Context

The enmity between Israel and Edom can be traced back to the patriarchal narratives in Genesis. Esau, also known as Edom, was the elder twin brother of Jacob, later named Israel. The tension between the brothers, stemming from Jacob's acquisition of Esau's birthright and blessing, set the stage for future hostilities between their descendants (Genesis 25:29-34; 27:1-40).

Saul's Campaign Against Edom

During the reign of King Saul, the first king of Israel, the Edomites were among the nations that posed a threat to the nascent Israelite kingdom. Saul's military campaigns were part of his broader efforts to secure Israel's borders and establish dominance over hostile neighbors. The biblical account in 1 Samuel 14:47 states, "After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them."

This passage highlights Saul's strategic military actions against Edom as part of his broader campaign to consolidate Israel's territorial integrity. The Edomites, along with other neighboring nations, were a persistent threat, and Saul's efforts were aimed at subduing these adversaries to ensure the security and stability of Israel.

Theological Significance

The conflict between Saul and the Edomites is emblematic of the ongoing struggle between the descendants of Jacob and Esau. It reflects the fulfillment of the prophetic words spoken to Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau, that "two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23).

Saul's war against Edom is also illustrative of the broader theme of divine sovereignty and the unfolding of God's plan for Israel. Despite the hostilities, the Israelites were reminded of their unique covenant relationship with God, who promised to protect and establish them as a nation.

Legacy and Later Developments

The hostilities between Israel and Edom did not cease with Saul's campaigns. The Edomites continued to be a thorn in Israel's side throughout the monarchy period. King David, Saul's successor, would later achieve significant victories over Edom, further subjugating them and establishing garrisons in their territory (2 Samuel 8:13-14).

The Edomites' resistance and eventual subjugation serve as a testament to the enduring conflict between these two related nations. The biblical narrative underscores the complexities of kinship, enmity, and divine providence that characterized the relationship between Israel and Edom throughout their shared history.1 Samuel 14:47
So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he vexed them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

How the Philistines Made Another Expedition against the Hebrews ...
... and Moabites, and Philistines, and Edomites, and Amalekites ... Saul had also a great
many chariots and horsemen, and against whomsoever he made war he returned ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how the philistines.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... That Jonathan, The Son Of Saul, Had Borne Him. ... Made An Expedition Against The Edomites
And Amalekites ... Them; But When He Afterwards Made War Against Joash, He ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The Israelites
... The Edomites refused them a passage along the high-road of trade ... The Hebrew army
was cut to pieces, and Saul and his ... His nephew Joab was made commander-in-chief ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Kingdom of all Israel.
... offence because Ishbosheth refused to give him one of Saul's widows to ... David likewise
made the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites pay him ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson vi the kingdom of.htm

Canaan
... Reference is made to one of them in the Travels ... among the Amalekite Bedawin down
to the days of Saul. ... Edomites, rather than Hebrews, were the founders of the ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

Demonstration xxi. --Of Persecution.
... Eli and of Samuel the Prophet; [1116] the Edomites in the ... Joshua the son of Nun was
persecuted, and made war. ... also was persecuted at the hands of Saul, and he ...
/.../aphrahat/aphrahat select demonstrations/demonstration xxi of persecution.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... The tolls levied on the merchandise made the kingdom of ... brought down to the time
when Saul was elected ... the death of Jehoshaphat that the Edomites succeeded in ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

The Personal History of Herod - the Two Worlds in Jerusalem.
... but parts of Southern Palestine which the Edomites had occupied ... of an infamous foreigner
who had made his way at ... of that Gamaliel, at whose feet Saul of Tarsus ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ii the personal history.htm

Book 5 Footnotes
... Israelites] should be Esau's [or the Edomites'] lord, remarkably ... odd way of mourning
that Mephibosheth made use of ... still father of the house of Saul, and less ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... Amaziah, on his side, had routed the Edomites in the ... the first two kings; the one
dealing with Saul, for instance ... The efforts then made by the Syrian kings to ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

Who were the Edomites? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Edom in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who/what is Edom (Obadiah 1:1, 8)? | GotQuestions.org

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