Reading Genesis it infers that Esau offspring would eventually command a great nation. I believe he was father of the Arabic peoples, but as of yet they are not a "great nation". I wonder if this has any future fulfillment? In reality the Holy Wars have started again, and Islam has vowed to take the earth by 2050. Any thoughts?
Esau a mighty nation?
by sinis 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Narkissos
In Genesis Esau is the eponym ancestor of Edom; Ismael is the eponym ancestor of the Arabian tribes.
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sinis
Ok, I think I botched that up. But a Arabic web site had this to say: The Bible records that the Jews were the offspring of Isaac, the promised son and heir of Abraham while the Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael and Esau.
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Narkissos
Linguistically the ancient Edomite language was closer to Hebrew (NW Semitic) than Arabic (South Semitic). Arabic influences appear only in the 6th century BC. The Edomite kingdom was destroyed by the Arabs in the early 5th century BC, pushing the Edomites into the south of the ancient territory of Judah / Benjamin (Idumea); the Arabic Nabatean kingdom settled in former Edomite territory in the 3rd century BC.
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Satanus
I don't believe in bible prophecies, but have you checked out the turkish empire?
S
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greendawn
The Edomites were non Arabs but later in history all the nations of the Middle East were assimilated into the Arab nation including the Edomites, Moabites, Syrians, Phoenicians, Assyrians etc, them being semitic I suppose helped this assimilaton.
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peacefulpete
Not sure what passage your are referring to but Edom was, as Narkissos said, the eponymous patriach of the Edomites in Genesis 36. Genesis 25:23 has two nations coming from Rebekah. Genesis 27:40 has it that Israel would rule Edom unitl some point when they would 'shake off the yoke'. These passages were written in the 8th-5th centuries, about a 1000 years after the supposed time of the narrative setting. They were legends written to explain both why Edom existed as a rival power to Judah and why Judah no longer ruled the region. Remember the legendary Solomon was supposed to have ruled south clear to Egypt. These passages were written as prophecies with the 'fullfillments' either included in the narrative or well known to the readers. There is no reason to look beyond the story itself and imagine some greater modern 'fullfillment' in WT style.