Genesis

by Anonymous

Esau Character Analysis

Esau is the elder of Isaac’s and Rebekah’s twin sons. One day, Esau exchanges his birthright (his inheritance from Isaac) in exchange for some of his brother Jacob’s stew. Later, Jacob tricks Esau out of his rightful blessing from Isaac as the firstborn, enraging him. Many years later, Esau reunites with Jacob joyfully, despite Jacob’s fears that his brother would still be angry about Jacob’s past trickery. Esau has two Hittite wives, and he also marries one of Ishmael’s daughters. Esau’s descendants become known as the Edomites.

Esau Quotes in Genesis

The Genesis quotes below are all either spoken by Esau or refer to Esau. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
).

Chapter 27 Quotes

Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him?—yes, and blessed he shall be!” When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me also, father!” But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”

Related Characters: Isaac (speaker), Esau (speaker), Rebekah, Jacob (Israel)
Page Number and Citation: 27:33–36
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 32 Quotes

And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant […] Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. Yet you have said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.’”

Related Characters: Jacob (Israel) (speaker), Isaac, Esau, God/the LORD God, Abram (Abraham)
Page Number and Citation: 32:9–12
Explanation and Analysis:
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Esau Character Timeline in Genesis

The timeline below shows where the character Esau appears in Genesis. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 25
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
...gives birth, the first twin comes out looking red and hairy, so they name him Esau. The second twin emerges clutching Esau’s heel, so he is named Jacob. As the boys... (full context)
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
One day, while Jacob is cooking a stew, Esau comes in from the field and hungrily demands some of the food. Jacob tells Esau... (full context)
Chapter 26
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
Isaac’s son Esau marries two Hittite women, Judith and Basemath. These women make Isaac’s and Rebekah’s lives difficult. (full context)
Chapter 27
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
When Isaac is old and unable to see, he calls Esau to him. Isaac explains that he doesn’t know when he will die, so he wants... (full context)
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
When Jacob comes in, he tells Isaac that he is Esau. Isaac wonders how the game was hunted and prepared so quickly, but Jacob claims that... (full context)
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
No sooner has Jacob received the blessing and left than Esau comes in with the game he caught. When Esau identifies himself, Isaac trembles and says... (full context)
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
Esau hates Jacob for stealing his blessing, and he resolves to kill Jacob after Isaac dies.... (full context)
Chapter 28
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
...as an alien will one day belong to him. Jacob does as Isaac says. When Esau sees that Isaac doesn’t want his sons to have Canaanite wives, he goes to Ishmael... (full context)
Chapter 32
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
...of God. As he approaches the country of Edom, he sends messengers to his brother Esau. The messengers return with word that Esau is coming to meet Jacob, bringing 400 men.... (full context)
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
That night, Jacob prepares a gift for Esau—large flocks of goats, sheep, camels, cows, and donkeys. Then he gives these flocks to his... (full context)
Chapter 33
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
Jacob sees Esau approaching with 400 men, so he divides up his household with the maids in front,... (full context)
Chapter 35
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
...They all go to Bethel, where God first revealed himself to Jacob upon fleeing from Esau. (full context)
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
...Bilhah and Zilpah. Jacob comes to Isaac at Mamre, and after Isaac dies, Jacob and Esau bury him. (full context)
Chapter 36
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
The descendants of Esau, or Edom, are listed, all of them born to Esau’s Canaanite wives, Adah, Oholibamah, and... (full context)