Esau

1Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming. Four hundred men were with him. Jacob split the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two servant women.

And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

NoteEsau was Jacob's twin brother. Years before, Jacob had tricked him and then run away. Jacob had not seen him since. That is why four hundred men coming felt scary.

2He put the servant women and their children in front. Leah and her children came next. Rachel and Joseph came last.

And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

NoteThe servant women were Bilhah and Zilpah. They worked for Rachel and Leah. Jacob had children with all four women.

3Jacob went on ahead of them. He bowed down to the ground seven times as he came near his brother.

And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

NoteBowing to the ground meant kneeling and touching your head to the dirt. People did this to show great respect. Doing it seven times showed the most respect of all.

4Esau ran to meet him. He hugged him and put his arms around his neck and kissed him. They both cried.

And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

5Esau looked up and saw the women and the children. He asked, "Who are these with you?" Jacob said, "These are the children God has kindly given me, your servant."

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

NoteJacob calls himself "your servant" on purpose. Long ago that was a polite way to talk to someone important.

6Then the servant women came near with their children, and they bowed down.

Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7Leah came near with her children too, and they bowed down. After that Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.

And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8Esau asked, "What did you mean by all those animals I met?" Jacob said, "They are so you will be pleased with me, my lord."

And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

Note"My lord" was a polite name for someone important. Jacob had sent big groups of animals ahead as a present for Esau.

9Esau said, "I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you."

And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

10Jacob said, "No, please. If you are pleased with me, then take my gift. Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God, and you have welcomed me."

And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

11"Please take the gift I brought you. God has been kind to me, and I have all I need." Jacob kept asking him, and Esau took it.

Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

12Esau said, "Let us start out and go. I will go in front of you."

And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

13Jacob said to him, "My lord, you know the children are little. And my sheep and cows are feeding their babies. If they are pushed hard for even one day, all the flock will die."

And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

NoteBaby animals cannot walk fast or far. Their mothers stay near them to feed them. Pushing them to hurry would hurt them.

14"Please, my lord, go on ahead of me, your servant. I will come slowly. I will go only as fast as the animals and the children can go. I will meet you, my lord, at Seir."

Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

NoteSeir was the hilly land where Esau lived. It was south of where Jacob was traveling.

15Esau said, "Let me leave some of my men with you." Jacob said, "Why do that? Just be pleased with me, my lord."

And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

16So that day Esau went back on his way to Seir.

So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

17Jacob traveled to Succoth. He built a house there. He made shelters for his animals. That is why the place is called Succoth.

And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

NoteSuccoth means "shelters" in the language Jacob spoke. He named the place after the shelters he built there.

27Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, near the city of Arbah. That city is also called Hebron. Abraham and Isaac had lived there.

And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

NoteMamre was the place where Abraham had lived. The family had a cave there where they buried their dead.

28Isaac lived one hundred and eighty years.

And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

NoteThe King James Bible says "fourscore." A score means twenty, so fourscore means eighty.

29Then Isaac took his last breath and died. He was very old and had lived a long, full life. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Note"Gave up the ghost" is an old way to say he stopped breathing and died. "Gathered unto his people" means he was buried near his family.

1This is the family list of Esau. Esau is also called Edom.

Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

NoteEsau was Jacob's twin brother. A family list tells who came from whom. It names parents, then their children, then their children's children. Edom was another name for Esau.

2Esau married women from the land of Canaan. He married Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. He married Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite.

Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;

NoteLong ago some men had more than one wife. Canaan was the land where Esau grew up. Hittites and Hivites were groups of people who lived there.

3He also married Bashemath, the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebajoth.

And Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth.

NoteIshmael was Abraham's son, like Esau's grandfather Isaac. So these two families were cousins.

4Adah gave birth to Esau's son Eliphaz. Bashemath gave birth to Reuel.

And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;

5Aholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were Esau's sons, born to him in the land of Canaan.

And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

6Esau took his wives, his sons, and his daughters. He took everyone who lived in his house. He took his cattle, all his other animals, and everything he owned in Canaan. Then he moved to a land away from his brother Jacob.

And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.

NoteCattle means cows. Esau kept big herds of animals for milk, wool, and food.

7They owned too much to live in the same place. The land where they were staying could not hold them both, because they had so many animals.

For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle.

8So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom.

Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

NoteSeir was a rocky, hilly land south of Canaan. Later people called that whole land Edom.

1This is what God showed Obadiah about the land of Edom. The Lord GOD says: We have heard news from the LORD. A messenger has gone out to the nations. He says, "Get up! Let us go and fight against Edom!"

The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

NoteObadiah was a prophet. A prophet told people what God was saying. A vision is a message God shows a person. Edom was a country next door to Israel. Long ago the two countries were like cousins.

2God says to Edom: "Look, I will make you small among the nations. People will look down on you."

Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

3"Your proud heart has fooled you. You live in caves high up in the rocky cliffs. You say to yourself, 'Nobody can pull me down.'"

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

NoteEdom's towns were built high up in rocky cliffs. Enemies had a very hard time climbing up to them. That is why Edom felt so safe.

4"You may fly up high like an eagle. You may build your nest among the stars. Even from there I will bring you down, says the LORD."

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

5"If thieves came to you at night, they would take only what they wanted. If people came to pick your grapes, they would leave some behind. But you will be stripped of everything!"

If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?

NotePeople picking grapes always left a few behind. The poor were allowed to come and gather those. So even robbers and pickers left something. Edom would be left with nothing at all.

6"Esau's people will lose it all. Even the treasures they hid away will be found and taken."

How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!

NoteEsau was Jacob's older brother, long ago. Esau's family grew into the country of Edom. So "Esau's people" means the people of Edom.

7"The nations that promised to help you will push you out to the border. Friends who were at peace with you will trick you and beat you. People who ate at your table will set a trap for you. You will never see it coming."

All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.

NoteEating at someone's table meant you were friends. Friends who ate together promised to help each other. These friends broke that promise.

8"On that day, says the LORD, I will take away the wise men of Edom. No one clever will be left in Esau's mountains."

Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?

NoteEdom was famous for its wise men. People came from far away to ask them questions.

9"Teman, your strongest soldiers will be filled with fear. Then everyone in Esau's mountains will be killed in the fighting."

And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

NoteTeman was one of Edom's main towns. Here it stands for the whole country.

10"You were cruel to your brother Jacob's family. So you will be covered with shame. You will be cut off forever."

For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

NoteJacob was Esau's brother. Jacob's family grew into Israel. Esau's family grew into Edom. So the two countries were like brothers.

1This is the heavy message the LORD sent to Israel. He sent it through Malachi, a man who told people what God said.

The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

NoteThe King James begins, "The burden of the word of the LORD." A burden is a heavy load to carry. This message was heavy because it was serious. Israel was the name of God's people, a whole family of families. When you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own special name.

2"I have loved you," says the LORD. But you ask, "How have you loved us?" The LORD says, "Wasn't Esau the brother of Jacob? Even so, I loved Jacob,

I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

NoteJacob and Esau were twin brothers who lived long, long before this. Their families grew and grew until each one became a nation. Jacob's family became the people of Israel. Esau's family became the people of Edom.

3but I hated Esau. I turned his mountains into empty, broken land. I left the land his family owned to the wild dogs of the desert."

And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

NoteIn the old way of speaking, "loved" and "hated" could mean "chose" and "did not choose." The King James also says "dragons of the wilderness." That old word meant wild animals of the empty desert. Jackals are wild dogs that live where nobody else does.

4The people of Edom, who came from Esau, say, "We are poor and ruined, but we will go back and build again." The LORD who leads heaven's armies says, "They may build, but I will knock it down. People will call their land the Land of Wickedness. They will call them the people the LORD is angry with forever.

Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

NoteThe King James says "the LORD of hosts." A host was an army. The name means God leads armies too big to count. "Wickedness" is an old word for doing very bad things on purpose.

5You will see this with your own eyes. Then you will say, 'The LORD is great, even far past the edges of Israel.'"

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

10There is more to say. Rebecca was going to have twin boys. Their father was Isaac, one of our family fathers.

And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

NoteRebecca was Isaac's wife. Twins means two babies born at the same time. These twins were named Jacob and Esau.

11The twins were not born yet. They had done nothing good and nothing bad. God chose anyway. His plan stands because he calls people, not because of anything they have done.

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12God said to Rebecca, "The older boy will serve the younger boy."

It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

NoteBack then the older son usually got the biggest share. He also became the leader of the family. So this was a surprise.

13The Bible says it this way: "I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau."

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

NoteIn the old way of speaking, "loved" and "hated" could mean chose and did not choose. Here it is about which son's family God picked.

16Watch out that no one uses their body for wrong kinds of sex. Watch out that no one treats holy things as nothing. Esau did that. He sold his rights as the oldest son for one meal.

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

NoteEsau lived a very long time ago. He was Isaac's oldest son. In those days the oldest son got the biggest share of the family's things. He also became the leader of the family after his father. Esau traded all of that away for one bowl of soup.

17You know what happened later. He wanted the blessing that went with those rights. But he was turned away. There was no way to undo what he had done, even though he cried and begged.

For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

NoteA father spoke his blessing out loud, one time only. Once the words were said, they could not be taken back.