Numbers 20:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Isaac had two sons named Esau and Jacob. Esau, who was also referred to as Edom, embodied a life focused on earthly matters; he relinquished his birthright for a single meal, as Scripture records. In contrast, Jacob was a man who practiced honesty and cherished family life, as noted in the Holy Text. From Jacob, who later became known as Israel, the Jewish people descended, while Esau's lineage gave rise to the Idumeans and Atharites, collectively identified as the Saracens. Thus, the Idumeans shared kinship with the Israelites, and in their respective lands, Jews and Idumeans lived as neighbors. However, this kinship and proximity did not foster harmony between the two nations. The Idumeans adopted the customs and laws of the Greeks and remained hostile, persistently ravaging Jewish territory and seeking to act towards them in the most dishonorable ways.