The text of Genesis introduces us to Jacob’s older twin brother, and to
his name “Esau”, as follows:
“And the first came out red [)DMWNY], all over like an hairy [%(R]
garment; and they [his parents Rebekah and Isaac, with Rebekah presumably
taking
the lead] called his name Esau [‘$W].” Genesis 25: 25
As an initial step in trying to figure out what the name “Esau” means, let
’s start by asking what underlying meaning of the name “Esau” would make
sense in the context of Genesis 25: 25. As we will now see, the ideal
meaning would be “ebony”, implying “dark red ebony”. The “red”, meaning “
red porridge”, for which Esau sells his birthright a mere five verses later,
at Genesis 25: 30, was probably dark red in color. Esau is closely
associated with Edom [for example at Genesis 32: 3/4 in the context of Jacob
returning to Canaan from eastern Syria], and the red earth of Edom was
presumably dark red in color as well. [The Patriarchs’ “Edom” logically is
not
the much later state of Edom located southeast of the Dead Sea, but rather
is historical Late Bronze Age “Udumu”/UD-u-mu, which included “Seir”
/$e-e-i-ri and was located east of the Sea of Galilee. That is near to where
Jacob had to pass in returning to Canaan from eastern Syria, which is when
Jacob must confront Esau from “Seir” : %(YR : $e-e-i-ri, in “Edom” : )DWM :
)D-W-M : UD-u-mu, with Esau having been aptly described at Genesis 25: 25
as being %(R and )DMWNY. Note how brilliantly and effortlessly the early
Hebrew author puns west Semitic common words with non-west Semitic
geographical place names! If that is the geographical locale, then we can be
certain
that the Patriarchs’ “Edom” was characterized by dark red earth: “On
the top, or brow, of the hill at Khan ‘Akabah the basalt rock appears, and
the great plain -- broad, level, rich, and beautiful -- which stretches away
to Fik [Aphek, east of the Sea of Galilee] and beyond, is composed of dark
red earth, the decomposition of lava rock and ashes.” Selah Merrill, “
East of the Jordan: A Record of Travel and Observation in the Countries of
Moab, Gilead and Bashan”, Richard Bentley & Son (1881), p. 322.]
Thus by saying at Genesis 25: 25 that Esau came out “red” and “hairy” at
birth, that is likely indicating that Esau as a newborn infant was covered
with dark red hair, so that the newborn baby looked as dark as dark red
ebony. Ebony wood is known for being dark -- either dark red or black: “
Ebony [wood] varies from deep black to dark red, with a variety of rich dark
shades.” http://canequest.com/ebony_wood.asp
If the underlying meaning of the name “Esau” is “ebony”, and implies in
context “dark red ebony”, then Genesis 25: 25 would be interpreted as
follows:
“And the first came out [dark] red [being dark red ebony in color], all
over like an hairy garment [with such dark red hair making the baby look
dark, like the color of dark red ebony]; and they called his name Esau.”
The question then becomes as follows. Did the name “Esau” mean “ebony”
in Bronze Age Syria? If so, then everything would make perfect sense. It
should be no surprise that Rebekah would use a word from her homeland in
eastern Syria in naming her firstborn son. And as we have seen in this
post, a meaning of “ebony”, implying in context “dark red ebony”, would fit
what Genesis 25: 25 says perfectly.
So the questions that need addressing are as follows. Is a name similar
to “Esau” historically attested in Bronze Age Syria [perhaps at Ugarit,
rather than in eastern Syria]? Does such name mean “ebony”? Would a woman
like Rebekah from Bronze Age Syria likely view the name “Esau” as meaning “
ebony”? These are straightforward questions of historical linguistics to
be addressed in the next post.
Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois
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