Bible Names

Esau: meaning of the name

Esau means “he that acts or finishes.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869)boy name

Esau in Hebrew and Greek

עֵשָׂו H6215

ʻÊsâv (ay-sawv') — Esav, a son of Isaac, including his posterity

apparently a form of the passive participle of H6213 (עָשָׂה) in the original sense of...

Ἠσαῦ G2269

Ēsaû — Esau, an Edomite

of Hebrew origin (H06215);

Who named Esau in the Bible

Esau in Scripture

“Esau” appears in 85 verses of the King James Version; here are the first 8.

  • Genesis 25:25

    And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

  • Genesis 25:26

    And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

  • Genesis 25:27

    And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

  • Genesis 25:28

    And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

  • Genesis 25:29

    And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

  • Genesis 25:30

    And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

  • Genesis 25:32

    And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

  • Genesis 25:34

    Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.