27 As the boys grew up, Esaw got good at hunting, a man of the outdoors, but Yacob was a quiet man who stayed around the tents. 28 Yitshak liked the taste of game meat so he loved Esaw, but Rebekah loved Yacob.

29 One day, Yacob was cooking some stew when Esaw arrived home from being out, and he was very hungry 30 and asked Yacob, “I’m starving—can I have some of that yummy-looking red stuff.” (After that, Esaw’s nickname became ‘Edom’, meaning ‘red’.)

31 “Well, now,” Yacob answered, “sell me your future inheritance.”

32 “Listen, I’m dying of starvation,” said Esaw, “so what use would a future inheritance be to me?”

33 “Well then, make a vow to me,” insisted Yacob.[ref]

So Esaw promised him, effectively selling his future inheritance to Yacob, 34 and Yacob gave him some of the lentil stew and some bread. So Esaw ate and drank and left again, thus despising his own inheritance as firstborn son.

7 Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this about Edom:

Isn’t there any wisdom left in Teman district?

Has good advice disappeared from those who have understanding?

Has their wisdom become corrupted?[ref]

8 Turn and run away.

Stay in deep caves, you inhabitants of Dedan,

because I’m bringing Esav’s (Esau’s) disaster onto Edom when I punish it.

9 If grape harvesters came to you, wouldn’t they at least leave a little bit behind?

If thieves came in the night, wouldn’t they steal only as much as they needed?

10 However, I’ll strip Esav (i.e., Edom) bare.

I’ve uncovered his secret places so he can’t hide himself.

His descendants and other relatives and neighbours will be devastated and destroyed.

11 Leave your orphans behind.

I’ll take care of their lives,

≈ and your widows can rely on me.

12 Yes, Yahweh says this: Listen, even those who didn’t deserve it, must certainly drink some of the cup of suffering. Did you think you yourself would escape being punished? You won’t, because you’ll certainly be included in it 13 because Yahweh declares that I’ve solemnly promised that Botsrah will become a horror, a disgrace, a devastation, and an object for cursing. All its cities will be forever ruined.

14 I’ve heard a report from Yahweh,

and a messenger has been sent out to the nations,

‘Gather together and attack Edom.

Get ready for battle.’ 15 Yes, listen, I’ve made you minor compared to the other nations,

despised among humankind.

16 As for your fearsomeness, your arrogance has deceived you, inhabitants of places on the cliff—

you who’ve occupied the highest hills so that you may make your nest high like an eagle.

I’ll bring you down from there.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

17 Edom will become a horror to everyone passing by it.

Those who do will be appalled and hiss about all its disasters.

18 Yahweh says that just like the overthrow of Sodom and Amorrah (Gomorrah) and their neighbours,[ref]

no one will live there—no human would want to stay there.

19 Listen, he’ll go up like a lion from the forests along the Jordan river to the green pasturelands,

because I’ll quickly make Edom flee from it,

and I’ll chose someone to be charge of it.

Indeed, no one else is like me, and who can challenge my decision?

What shepherd can stand against me?

20 So listen to the plans that Yahweh has decided against Edom—

≈ the intentions that he’s formed against Teman’s inhabitants.

They’ll be dragged away, even the smallest flock.

→ Their pasturelands will be turned into ruined places.

21 The ground will shake at the sound of their falling.

The sound of distressed shouts will be heard right across at the Red Sea.

22 Listen, someone will ascend like an eagle, and swoop down and spread his wings over Botsrah.

Then on that day, Edom’s soldiers will be apprehensive like women in labour.”

 Then Yahweh gave me another message:[ref] 2 “Humanity’s child, look out towards Mt. Seir and prophesy against it. 3 Tell it that the master Yahweh says this: Listen, I’m against you Edom, represented by Mt. Seir, and I’ll work against you to make you a desolation and a waste. 4 I’ll turn your cities into ruins, and you yourself will become desolate. Then you’ll know that I am Yahweh.

5 You’ve always been hostile to the Israeli people, and when they were distressed you decided to attack them with swords—at the time their punishment was coming to an end. 6 Therefore, this is the master Yahweh’s declaration: As I live, I’ll prepare you for bloodshed, and bloodshed will chase after you. Since you didn’t hate bloodshed, bloodshed will come to you. 7 I’ll make Edom completely desolate when I cut it off so that no one will want to pass through it. 8 I’ll fill its mountain ranges with people who were killed—those killed by the sword will fall on your high hills and valleys and in all your streams. 9 I’ll make your land perpetually desolate. Your cities won’t be inhabited, and then you’ll know that I am Yahweh.

10 You’ve said, “These two nations and these two lands will become mine, and we’ll possess them,” even when Yahweh was there with them. 11 Therefore, this is the master Yahweh’s declaration: As I live, I’ll act according to your anger and according to your jealousy that you had in your hatred of Yisrael, and I’ll show myself to them when I judge you—12 then you’ll know that I am Yahweh. I’ve heard all the insults you spoke against Yisrael’s hill country, when you said, “They’ve been destroyed—they’ve been given over to us to devour.” 13 You raised yourselves up against me with what you said, and you multiplied the words you said against me, and I heard all of them.

14 The master Yahweh says this: I’ll make you into a desolate place while the rest of the world cheers. 15 Just like you rejoiced over the Israeli people’s inheritance when it was made desolate, I’ll do the same to you. You’ll become a desolation, Mt. Seir and all of Edom—all of it. Then they’ll know that I am Yahweh.”

We have heard from Yahweh and a messenger has been sent to the nations, telling them:

Get everything ready then go into battle against Edom.

2 And Yahweh says to Edom:

Listen,

I will make you into an insignificant nation.

≈ You’ll become utterly despised.

3 Your inner pride has deceived you,

you who live on the rocky cliffs,

≈ with your homes up there so high.

You say to yourselves that

no one can bring you down to the ground.

4 If you go up high like an eagle,

≈ even if your nest was up between the stars,

Yahweh declares that his command can bring you down from there.

5 If it was thieves who came to destroy you in the night,

(and yes, you’re going to be destroyed)

they would only steal what they wanted.

Or if it was grape-pickers who came to you,

at least they’d leave behind the smaller grapes.

6 How Esau’s descendants will be looted.

≈ Their hidden treasures will be found and taken.

7 Those who have treaties with you will force you to the border.

≈ Those who talk about peace will deceive you.

≈ Those who eat meals with you will set a trap for you.

You have no idea what’s about to hit you.

8 Yahweh will make a declaration on that day.

The wise people of Edom will be destroyed.

≈ Understanding will disappear from Esau’s hill.

9 And you the city of Teyman, your warriors will be shattered,

≈ so that everyone from Esau’s hill country will be slaughtered.

10 Because of your violence against your brother Yacob’s descendants,

shame will overcome you,

and you’ll be destroyed forever.

11 You just stood and watched on that day when strangers carried away their wealth.

≈ When foreigners entered their gates and took possession of Yerushalem, you wished it was you doing that.

12 You shouldn’t have gloated over your cousins on the day of their misfortune.

≈ And you shouldn’t have celebrated about the destruction of the people of Yehudah.

You shouldn’t have bragged in their time of distress.

13 You shouldn’t have gone into their city at the time of their calamity.

You shouldn’t have gloated—yes, you—over their misery in their time of disaster.

And you women shouldn’t have grabbed their wealth on the day of their catastrophe.

14 You shouldn’t have stood at the crossroads to kill those trying to escape,[ref]

And you shouldn’t have handed-over any survivors that you’d captured in their time of trouble.

2 “I have loved you all,” says Yahweh, but you say, “How have you shown your love for us?”

“Wasn’t Esaw Yacob’s brother?” declares Yahweh. “Yet I’ve loved Yacob[ref] 3 and rejected Esaw. I’ve turned the hills where Esaw lived into a wasteland and given his inheritance to the wild jackals.”

4 If Esaw’s descendants in Edom say, “We’ve been crushed, but we’ll return and rebuild what was destroyed,” then army-commander Yahweh will say, “They might build, but I will tear down. Others will call them ‘The country of wickedness’ and ‘The people who Yahweh is forever angry with.’

5 Your own eyes will see it, and you’ll say, ‘Yahweh is great even outside Yisrael’s borders.’ ”