Editing Esau (section)

===Minor prophet references===
Esau was also known as [[Edom]], the progenitor of the Edomites who were established to the south of the Israelites. They were an ancient enemy nation of Israel.<ref>Peter Ackroyd, ''Exile and Restoration: A Study in Hebrew Thought of the Sixth Century B.C.'', 1968, p.&nbsp;224.</ref> The minor prophets, such as [[Obadiah]], claim that the Edomites participated in the destruction of [[Solomon's Temple]]  in the [[Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC)|siege of Jerusalem]] in 587 BCE. Exactly how the Edomites participated is not clear. [[Psalm 137]] ("By the waters of Babylon") suggests merely that Edom had encouraged the [[Babylonia]]ns: God is asked to "remember against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said 'raze it, raze it to its foundations'" in [[Psalm 137]]:7. However, the prophecy of Obadiah insists on the literal "violence done" by Esau "unto [his] brother Jacob" when the Edomites "entered the gate of my people..., looted his goods..., stood at the parting of the ways to cut off the fugitive,... delivered up his survivors on his day of distress".<ref>{{Bibleref|Obadiah|10:13–14|JPS}}</ref>

By the [[intertestamental period]], Edom had replaced Babylon as the nation that burned the Temple ("Thou hast also vowed to build thy temple, which the Edomites burned when Judah was laid waste by the Chaldees"<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/study/1_Esdras_4 1 Esdras 4:45]</ref>).