Mount Seir, Seir, Edom, and Idumea all re-direct here.
- Jacob and Esau were the twin sons (and only offspring) of Isaac and Rebekah. (Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah. )
- As Jacob is also known as Israel, so his brother Esau is also known as Edom. And as the nation that came from the descendants of Jacob and the land they occupied came to be known as Israel, so the nation that came from the descendants of Esau and the land they occupied came to be known as Edom.
- The land of Israel had previously been known as the land of Canaan.
- The land of Edom also came to be associated with Mount Seir or Seir.
- Idumea (Mk 3:8) is the Greek and Roman name for Edom. From 1st century BC through the 1st century AD, it was the territory immediately to the south of Judea; home to the Edomites and to the Herod family.
- As Israel can be used to refer to Jews, so Edom can be used to refer to Gentiles – as in Obadiah and Malachi 1.
- Jacob was given the name Israel by God in Gen 32:28.
- Jacob’s (The Twelve Sons of Jacob) became the nation called Israel.
- References to Israel as a nation in the Bible are references to what we call “ancient Israel” – not to modern Israel. All Bible prophecy was fulfilled in Christ; therefore, biblical prophecies about Israel are not to be seen as applying to modern-day Israel. Ancient Israel was formed by God; modern Israel was formed by men. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with Israel being a nation today. It is just to say that God treats it like America or any other nation. He shows no partiality. He disciples all the nations and judges all the nations. He used ancient Israel in biblical times to bring forth Messiah. Once Messiah was installed, He no longer needed that nation as a vehicle for the messianic plan – which is what ancient Israel was.
The Duty of a Man 