Edom

Edom is a historical region and nation in the southern Levant, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the homeland of the Edomites. The name Edom derives from the Hebrew for red, a reference linked to the biblical figure Esau, who is regarded as the progenitor of this lineage. The Edomites inhabited a territory that bordered the southern part of the kingdom of Israel, east of the Arabah and including fortified centers such as Sela, traditionally identified with Petra, and Bozrah. The Edomite polity operated at times independently and at times under the influence of neighboring powers.

In biblical narrative, Edom and Israel are described as related peoples descended from Jacob and Esau, yet their relations were often strained and antagonistic. A notable episode is the Israelites’ attempt to pass through Edom during the Exodus, which Edom refused, leading to conflict recorded in the biblical text (Numbers 20:14–21). Edom is frequently depicted in prophetic literature as a rival or hostile neighbor.

In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, Idumea is used as a Greek and Latin designation for the Edomite-ruled region. In the 2nd century BCE, the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus I conquered Idumea and compelled many Edomites to convert to Judaism, incorporating the region into Judea. In Roman times, the area remained known as Idumea, and Herod the Great was an Idumean by descent, ruling as king of Judea under Rome.

Archaeological and historical scholarship identify Edom with parts of southern Jordan and the adjacent Negev, with Petra as a major site associated with Edomite culture. The term Edom also appears in the biblical book of Obadiah, which contains an oracle against Edom.

Edom’s legacy is primarily as a biblical and ancient Near Eastern region, reflected in religious, historical, and archaeological contexts.