Regions & nations · South of the Dead Sea
Edom
What was Edom?
Edom was the rugged red-rock nation of Esau’s descendants, Israel’s estranged brother to the south.
TodayThe mountains of southern Jordan, around Petra
AncestryEsau
TerrainRed sandstone highlands
ProphecyThe book of Obadiah
Esau settled in the mountains of Seir, and his descendants, the Edomites, built strongholds in the high red sandstone — “you who dwell in the clefts of the rock.”
Edom refused Israel passage at the exodus and gloated when Jerusalem fell — the burden of Obadiah’s prophecy.
“Pride of your heart has deceived you,” the prophet warned; soaring like the eagle, Edom would be brought down.
Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)
Genesis 36:8 “So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.” Numbers 20:21 “So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.” Obadiah 1:3 “The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’”
Related places
Original BibleDawn profile. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. Scripture quoted from the public-domain Berean Standard Bible.