Where Is Edom in the Bible?
In the Hebrew Bible, the nation of Edom is described as harsh, and its harsh depiction in the prophets is the most common aspect of its depiction. However, the biblical account of Edom also contains other, softer portrayals. These are discussed in this article.
Malachi 1:4-5
Malachi 1:4-5 addresses the question, “Where is Edom in the Bible?” We are not told that Edom became a slave nor was it a people. We are told that Edom was a nation that ceased to worship the God of Israel. The nation’s collapse began with military campaigns led by Nabonidus. Edom’s people were displaced from their ancestral land.
Malachi’s message is a harsher one than the first discourse. This chapter is a critique of priestly failure to teach the people and their attitude toward God. The priests have been acting in legalism and apathy toward God and His people. Their unwillingness to change will result in judgment by God. It also illustrates God’s love for Israel. The destruction of Edom had been foretold in the book of Obadiah. But Israel has never suffered a similar fate.
Psalm 83
Psalm 83:6-8 speaks of the nations surrounding Israel. These nations are Moslem and were joined against Israel. This prophecy is primarily for the end times, when all nations will bow down to Jehovah and recognize Him as supreme ruler over the earth. This prophecy is similar to the one found in Ezekiel, which compares the nations of Israel to the nations of Edom in Ezekiel 38:1-9.
Psalm 83 is an epic lament from Israel about the oppression it was experiencing as a nation. The psalmist complains about the oppression and extermination of the Jewish people by hostile nations. In fact, the psalmist sees all of Israel’s enemies as one united in their conspiracy against the Jewish people. He prays for God’s intervention to destroy the enemies, and for the enemy nation to acknowledge Him as its supreme ruler.
Amos 9
If you’ve been wondering where Edom comes up in the Bible, you’re not alone. The book of Obadiah describes the Edomites as having sinned against their brother Jacob. The author then provides an expanded description of their transgression, including the fact that they separated themselves from Israel.
The word Edom is related to the Hebrew word edom (to dwell). Edom is a part of Israel, and it is named after the son of Beor. This nation is ruled by King Bela. David brought silver and gold from every nation to the LORD, and he dedicated the silver and gold to the LORD.
The name Edom is mentioned in the Bible several times, but the location is not specified. It refers to cities in Edom. It is also mentioned in the Bible in numerous places, including Numbers 24:19. It is also referenced in the Genesis 49:10 prophecy. It could be Shiloh or Petra or any city in Edom. Its names imply a great rulership over the rest of the land.
Malachi 2:8
Malachi 2:8 refers to the nations of the world, which include Edom. It also mentions Israel. This passage is significant because it shows how a nation’s sinfulness will be revealed. The word edom in the Bible means “evil” in the Hebrew language.
The nation of Edom was once associated with the family of Abraham. They were closely related to the Israelites, but did not always act like brothers. They were proud, violent, and apathetic toward Israel. Their descendants were later expelled from the land of Israel and became known as Idumeans. Herod the Great, who was born in Bethlehem, was an Idumean and tried to kill the infant Jesus.
During the time of the exiles, Malachi had addressed the covenant people of Judah, which had been in decline since the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. As a result, the descendants of the exiles had drifted into spiritually unhealthy practices. But now, Malachi urged the people to reform before the Messenger of the Covenant, who would come in the spirit of Elijah.
Jeremiah 23:4
Located in the southern region of the Bible, Edom is a name of a nation that fought against Israel. It is also a region of the Middle East. It was inhabited by people of Jewish heritage. According to the Bible, the country was once ruled by Judah.
A branch is a symbolic word for life, and the Bible relates it to Messiah. Other places where branches appear in the Bible are 33:15-16, Zechariah 3:8, Zechariah 6:12, and Isa. 53:2. The branch represents the Messiah, who is to come in the age of restoration.
Edom was a nation of people who were displaced from the land of Israel. They were descendants of Esau, who was the twin brother of Jacob. Although they were displaced from their land, they were still considered Israel’s kin. In the Bible, they fought with Israel frequently.
Nehemiah 24:1
The location of Edom in the Bible is described in Nehemiah 24:1. According to the Bible, the people of this nation were the descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau. The Edomites were considered an ungodly nation, and were punished for their hostility against Israel. The people of Edom should have helped Israel during the long journey through the desert, but instead they turned against them. This turn against the Israelites was punishable by God, and the destruction of Edom’s city was like a pile of rubble. This fire was poured over their city.
Edom was a city in the Middle East. The city of Hebron was one of the cities captured by Edom during the captivity. After Israel’s return from captivity, the city was recolonized by Jews. According to Josephus, it was where King Solomon dreamed of establishing his kingdom.
Jonah 3:4
In the Bible, Edom appears more often than any other nation that is hostile to Israel. In fact, the word edom is often used as a metonym for all the nations that are hostile to Israel. The little Book of Obadiah mentions Edom, as does the larger Book of Nahum. While this isn’t mentioned directly in Jonah, it’s likely that New Testament writers alluded to it.
It’s interesting to note that God’s hatred for Edom comes as a response to his love for Israel. One might have expected God to favor Israel and prosper it, rather than take advantage of it. However, this is a case where God’s people are caught up in God’s own self-exaltation.
Jeremiah 31:4
In the Bible, Edom was a kingdom in the region of southern Israel. The Israelites considered the Edomites to be the descendants of Abraham, although they were not always related to each other. They were violent, proud, and apathetic toward the destruction of Israel. As a result, the Israelites were forced to leave the land of Edom and migrate to southern Israel, where they were known as Idumeans. The Idumeans eventually fought Israel and took its land, but they did not do so willingly.
During this time of oppression, the Jewish people believed that they would be delivered by a king like David, and this expectation was realized when the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem in Zedekiah’s 10th year (587BC). After the besieging, Nebuchadnezzar accused the Jews of being foreign sympathizers and deceived them.
Jeremiah 32:4
In Jeremiah 32:4, the prophet is referencing a land that isn’t inhabited by Israel. While the land has been inhabited by other peoples, it is a literal land. This is a reference to a future event when the Jewish people will return to their land.
In the Old Testament, Edom and its descendants lived in the land. However, Jehovah had an everlasting covenant with Israel. That covenant was made in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, the Israelites have to follow this covenant or die.
Jeremiah’s prophecy to Edom is a message to Israel and the world. God had promised them the land with milk and honey. If they would listen to this message, they will come to realize that their land is the true God’s land.
Jeremiah 33:5
Gedaliah was the son of Shaphan. King Zedekiah ordered him to be confined in the Court of the Guard. There, he was given a loaf of bread a day from the Street of the Bakers. He was there for three years.
Eventually, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt and enslaved the Jewish people. This was a warning from Yahweh to the Egyptians: prepare for a time of sword. He compared the Pharaoh to a much-noise-maker who lets chance slip by. He also compared Egypt to Carmel, a hill high above the sea. “But Yahweh will come to Egypt as Tabor among the mountains, and Noph will be a desert.”
The king of Babylon’s army was advancing on Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. They were attacking with fortified towns. As a result, the Jewish people needed to fight back. Yahweh had a solution. He ordered each man to free a Hebrew slave. No man was to keep his brother Jew in slavery. The pact was signed by all of the nobles of Judah.