Mount Esau, the mountainous region of Edom, against which the prophet Obadiah declared God's judgment for their hostility toward Israel.
Also known as Mount Esau
Mount Esau is a term used in the Book of Obadiah to refer to the mountainous region inhabited by the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. The Edomites lived in the area south of the Dead Sea, extending from the Wadi Zered to the Gulf of Aqaba, in what is now southern Jordan and Israel.
In his prophecy, Obadiah declares God's judgment against Edom for their hostile actions and attitudes toward Israel, particularly during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem (Obadiah 1:8, 9, 19, 21). The Edomites had rejoiced over Judah's destruction and had even participated in looting the city and capturing fleeing Israelites (Obadiah 1:11-14).
Obadiah prophesies that God will bring down the "wise men" and "mighty men" of Edom, and that their mountain stronghold will be unable to protect them from divine judgment (Obadiah 1:8-9). He also foretells that the house of Israel (or 'Jacob') and Joseph will possess the territories of Edom and the surrounding nations, and that deliverers will come from Mount Zion to judge Mount Esau (Obadiah 1:19, 21).
The reference to Mount Esau symbolizes the pride and security of the Edomites in their mountainous territory, as well as their opposition to God's people.
Approximate location: 30.735, 35.606 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
4 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H6215
In that day, declares the LORD, will I not destroy the wise men of Edom and the men of understanding in the mountains of Esau?
Then your mighty men, O Teman, will be terrified, so that everyone in the mountains of Esau will be cut down in the slaughter.
Those from the Negev will possess the mountains of Esau; those from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead.
The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to rule over the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will belong to the LORD.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.