Esau (ēˈsô) [key] [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. The Columbia Electronic
Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University
Press. All rights reserved. More on Esau from Infoplease: See
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