To summarize the Old Testament record of Edom and Edomites, we must begin by noting that although Esau _sold_ his birthright, his brother Jacob actually _stole_ the blessing. We are all familiar with this fascinating drama of the deception wrought by Jacob at his mother’s insistence, when he impersonated his brother to deceive his dying father. This account constitutes one of the implacably honest records characteristic of the Bible. No other book known to man is so frank in the delineation of the weaknesses of its leading characters, as God can deal honestly with sin and failure, since He knows how to overrule such, and effect a cure! When Esau learned that the blessing of his father had been stolen by his younger brother, he took a solemn oath that as soon as the days of mourning for his father were ended, he would slay Jacob, the deceiver. His vengeance was frustrated, however, as Isaac and Rebekah sent Jacob to Padan-aram. Here Jacob met a shrewd bargainer more ruthless than himself; and dwelt in Padan-aram for twenty years, during which he prospered enormously. On his way home from his long sojourn, the account tells how he met Esau. Two chapters of Genesis, namely, the thirty-second and the thirty-third, are occupied with this dramatic and human document. Still burdened by the guilt of his dishonest conduct in the matter of the blessing, and perhaps feeling also that he had been less than honorable in buying the birthright, Jacob prepared an enticing bribe to soften the wrath of Esau. Word had been brought to him that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred retainers, and Jacob believed that the hour of reckoning had come. The score of years, however, had softened the wrath of Esau, and he greeted his younger brother with love and affection. Refusing to accept any bribe or present at his hand, he made him welcome to his possession. The record distinctly states that at that time Esau was dwelling in Seir. It is evident that he must have prospered there, as the genealogical tables in the thirty-sixth chapter of Genesis list his progeny. All of his grandsons appear in the record as dukes. Verses one, eight and nine of this chapter identify the Edomites as descendants of Esau. They further identify the land of their dwelling with the ancient site of Seir. To clarify this point, we here reproduce these three verses: “Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.” “Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.” “And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir.”