Israel’s red twin
The book of Genesis describes the Edomites as emerging from the line of Jacob’s twin brother Esau. When Esau is born, the Bible describes him as “red, all his body like a hairy mantle” (Gen. 25:25). This seems like a rather odd physical description. But to the discerning reader, this is a prophetic reference to the land where Esau would go on to settle. First, the word for “red” in Hebrew is adom (אדום), from which the name Edom comes. Indeed, much of the region of Edom is made of reddish sandstone, as famously seen at Petra. Second, the word for “hairy” is sa’ir, which sounds much like another name for Edom - the Land of Seir, where Esau lived (Gen. 32:3).
This is just one example of how the original Hebrew sheds light on the Holy Scriptures. Why settle for translation when you can access the Divine Word in all its authentic wealth? Enroll in our online live biblical Hebrew Course where you learn from the best teachers of the Holy Land.
