The Kings Who Reigned in the Land of Edom: A Kabbalistic Metaphor of the Primeval Worlds

(31)These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites.(32) Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.(33) When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah, from Bozrah, succeeded him as king.(34) When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king.(35) When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king; the name of his city was Avith.(36) When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah succeeded him as king.(37) When Samlah died, Saul of Rehoboth-on-the-river succeeded him as king.(38) When Saul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor succeeded him as king.(39) And when Baal-hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar succeeded him as king; the name of his city was Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab.(40) These are the names of the clans of Esau, each with its families and locality, name by name: the clans Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,(41) Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,(42) Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,(43) Magdiel, and Iram. Those are the clans of Edom—that is, of Esau, father of the Edomites—by their settlements in the land which they hold.

(43)These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.(44) When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah succeeded him as king.(45) When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king.(46) When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king, and the name of his city was Avith.(47) When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah succeeded him as king.(48) When Samlah died, Saul of Rehoboth-on-the-River succeeded him as king.(49) When Saul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor succeeded him as king.(50) When Baal-hanan died, Hadad succeeded him as king; and the name of his city was Pai, and his wife’s name Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab.(51) And Hadad died. The clans of Edom were the clans of Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,(52) Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,(53) Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,(54) Magdiel, and Iram; these are the clans of Edom.

(22) But the children struggled in her womb, and she said, “If so, why do I exist?” She went to inquire of the LORD,(23) and the LORD answered her, “Two nations are in your womb, Two separate peoples shall issue from your body; One people shall be mightier than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”(24) When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb.(25) The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over; so they named him Esau.

(27) When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors; but Jacob was a mild man who stayed in camp.

(30) And Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stuff to gulp down, for I am famished”—which is why he was named Edom.(31) Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”(32) And Esau said, “I am at the point of death, so of what use is my birthright to me?”(33) But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.(34) Jacob then gave Esau bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, and he rose and went away. Thus did Esau spurn the birthright.

(22) So Jacob drew close to his father Isaac, who felt him and wondered. “The voice is the voice of Jacob, yet the hands are the hands of Esau.”

(36) [Esau] said, “Was he, then, named Jacob that he might supplant me these two times? First he took away my birthright and now he has taken away my blessing!” And he added, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”(37) Isaac answered, saying to Esau, “But I have made him master over you: I have given him all his brothers for servants, and sustained him with grain and wine. What, then, can I still do for you, my son?”(38) And Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father!” And Esau wept aloud.(39) And his father Isaac answered, saying to him, “See, your abode shall enjoy the fat of the earth And the dew of heaven above.(40) Yet by your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; But when you grow restive, You shall break his yoke from your neck.”

(14) Let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I travel slowly, at the pace of the cattle before me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

(1) This is the line of Esau—that is, Edom.

(6) Esau took his wives, his sons and daughters, and all the members of his household, his cattle and all his livestock, and all the property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land because of his brother Jacob.(7) For their possessions were too many for them to dwell together, and the land where they sojourned could not support them because of their livestock.(8) So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir—Esau being Edom.(9) This, then, is the line of Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.

(14) The peoples hear, they tremble; Agony grips the dwellers in Philistia.(15) Now are the clans of Edom dismayed; The tribes of Moab—trembling grips them; All the dwellers in Canaan are aghast.(16) Terror and dread descend upon them; Through the might of Your arm they are still as stone— Till Your people cross over, O LORD, Till Your people cross whom You have ransomed.

(14) From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardships that have befallen us;(15) that our ancestors went down to Egypt, that we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and that the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our ancestors.(16) We cried to the LORD and He heard our plea, and He sent a messenger who freed us from Egypt. Now we are in Kadesh, the town on the border of your territory.(17) Allow us, then, to cross your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, and we will not drink water from wells. We will follow the king’s highway, turning off neither to the right nor to the left until we have crossed your territory.”(18) But Edom answered him, “You shall not pass through us, else we will go out against you with the sword.”(19) “We will keep to the beaten track,” the Israelites said to them, “and if we or our cattle drink your water, we will pay for it. We ask only for passage on foot—it is but a small matter.”(20) But they replied, “You shall not pass through!” And Edom went out against them in heavy force, strongly armed.(21) So Edom would not let Israel cross their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

(12) Similarly, Seir was formerly inhabited by the Horites; but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them, wiping them out and settling in their place, just as Israel did in the land they were to possess, which the LORD had given to them.—

(20) It, too, is counted as Rephaim country. It was formerly inhabited by Rephaim, whom the Ammonites call Zamzummim,(21) a people great and numerous and as tall as the Anakites. The LORD wiped them out, so that [the Ammonites] dispossessed them and settled in their place,(22) as He did for the descendants of Esau who live in Seir, when He wiped out the Horites before them, so that they dispossessed them and settled in their place, as is still the case.

(8) You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your kinsman. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land.

(47) After Saul had secured his kingship over Israel, he waged war on every side against all his enemies: against the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the Philistines, and the kings of Zobah; and wherever he turned he worsted [them].

(14) He stationed garrisons in Edom—he stationed garrisons in all of Edom—and all the Edomites became vassals of David. ADONAI gave David victory wherever he went.

(15) When David was in Edom, Joab the army commander went up to bury the slain, and he killed every male in Edom;(16) for Joab and all Israel stayed there for six months until he had killed off every male in Edom.

(20) During his reign, the Edomites rebelled against Judah’s rule and set up a king of their own.(21) Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariotry. He arose by night and attacked the Edomites, who were surrounding him and the chariot commanders; but his troops fled to their homes.(22) Thus Edom fell away from Judah, as is still the case. Libnah likewise fell away at that time.

(24) Lo, days are coming—declares the LORD—when I will take note of everyone circumcised in the foreskin:(25) of Egypt, Judah, Edom, the Ammonites, Moab, and all the desert dwellers who have the hair of their temples clipped. For all these nations are uncircumcised, but all the House of Israel are uncircumcised of heart.

(15) As you rejoiced when the heritage of the House of Israel was laid waste, so will I treat you: the hill country of Seir and the whole of Edom, all of it, shall be laid waste. And they shall know that I am the LORD.

(2) I have shown you love, said the LORD. But you ask, “How have You shown us love?” After all—declares the LORD—Esau is Jacob’s brother; yet I have accepted Jacob(3) and have rejected Esau. I have made his hills a desolation, his territory a home for beasts of the desert.

(11) Thus said the LORD: For three transgressions of Edom, For four, I will not revoke it: Because he pursued his brother with the sword And repressed all pity, Because his anger raged unceasing And his fury stormed unchecked.(12) I will send down fire upon Teman, And it shall devour the fortresses of Bozrah.

(8) In that day —declares Adonai— I will make the wise vanish from Edom, understanding from Esau’s mount.(9) Your warriors shall lose heart, O Teman, And not a man on Esau’s mount shall survive the slaughter.(10) For the violence toward your brother Jacob, disgrace shall engulf you, and you shall perish forever.

(1) A song, a psalm of Asaph.(2) O God, do not be silent; do not hold aloof; do not be quiet, O God!(3) For Your enemies rage, Your foes assert themselves.(4) They plot craftily against Your people, take counsel against Your treasured ones.(5) They say, “Let us wipe them out as a nation; Israel’s name will be mentioned no more.”(6) Unanimous in their counsel they have made an alliance against You—(7) the clans of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,(8) Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;(9) Assyria too joins forces with them; they give support to the sons of Lot.Selah.

(7) Remember, Adonai, how the children of Edom, on the day Jerusalem fell, cried, “Strip her, strip her to her very foundations!”

(21) Rejoice and exult, Fair Edom, Who dwell in the land of Uz! To you, too, the cup shall pass, You shall get drunk and expose your nakedness.(22) Your iniquity, Fair Zion, is expiated; He will exile you no longer. Your iniquity, Fair Edom, He will note; He will uncover your sins.

Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilaee explained: The voice is the voice of Jacob crying out at what the hands of Esau did to him. Rabbi Yochanan added, the anguished cries that the accursed Hadrian caused by murdering 80,000 myriads of human beings at Bethar.

Reish Lakish says: The angel of Rome is destined to make three errors, as it is written: “Who is this who comes from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Bozrah?” (Isaiah 63:1), which is a parable for God’s arrival after killing the angel of Rome in Bozrah. The angel of Rome will err in that it is only the city of Bezer that provides refuge and he exiled himself to Bozrah; he will err in that it provides refuge only to an unintentional murderer and he was an intentional murderer; and he will err in that it provides refuge only to a person and he is an angel.

Germamya of Edom, i.e., Germany, which is near the land of Edom, i.e., Rome. As, if the Germans would go forth, they would destroy the entire world.And Rabbi Ḥama Bar Ḥanina said: There are three hundred young princes with crowns tied to their heads in Germamya of Edom, and there are three hundred and sixty-five chieftains [marzavnei] in Rome. Every day these go out to battle against those, and one of them is killed, and they are preoccupied with appointing a new king in his place. Since neither side is united, neither side is able to achieve a decisive victory. It is these wars between Rome and the Germanic tribes that act as a muzzle upon Esau-Edom-Rome and prevent it from becoming too strong.

§ Apropos its discussion of the destruction of the Temple and the calamities that befell Israel, the Gemara cites the verse: “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau” (Genesis 27:22), which the Sages expounded as follows: “The voice”; this is the cry stirred up by the emperor Hadrian, who caused the Jewish people to cry out when he killed six hundred thousand on six hundred thousand in Alexandria of Egypt, twice the number of men who left Egypt. “The voice of Jacob”; this is the cry aroused by the emperor Vespasian, who killed four million people in the city of Beitar. And some say: He killed forty million people. “And the hands are the hands of Esau”; this is the wicked kingdom of Rome that destroyed our Temple, burned our Sanctuary, and exiled us from our land.

In the days of King Solomon, the moon shone completely, as it is written: The wisdom of Solomon increased--increased, precisely! By the wisdom of all בְּנִי קֶדֶם (benei qedem), the children of the east--supernal mystery, as is written: These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom (Genesis 36:31). These are called benei qedem, children of primordial time.

(1) (Bamidbar 9:9-10) "And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, saying: A man if he be unclean by a dead body, etc.": This is something that he (Moses) asked (of the L-rd). "or on a distant way": This is something that he did not ask. "if he be unclean by a dead body." This tells me only of one who is tamei by a dead body. Whence do I derive (the same [i.e., that Pesach Sheni is observed] for) other types of tumah? From "or if he were on a distant way." You induce (binyan av) from both, viz.: "tamei by a dead body" is not like "distant way," and "distant way" is not like "tamei by a dead body." What is common to both is that one who did not observe the first Pesach observes Pesach Sheni — So, all who could not observe the first Pesach observe Pesach Sheni. "on a distant way": I do not know what constitutes "a distant way." R. Akiva says: It is written "tamei by a dead body" and "distant way." Just as in the fist instance, he desired to observe but could not, so, in the second, he desired to observe but could not; and the sages delimited ("distant way" as applying to) anyone who at the time of the slaughtering of the Paschal lamb was at a distance from Modi'im (fifteen miles from Jerusalem) and beyond, along the entire circumference. R. Eliezer says "distant way" is stated in respect to the tithe (viz. Devarim 14:24), and "distant way" is stated in respect to Pesach. Just as "distant way" in respect to the tithe connotes outside the place where it is eaten, so, "distant way" in respect to Pesach. Which is the place where it is eaten? From the entrance of Jerusalem within. R. Yehudah says: "distant way" is stated in respect to Pesach, and "distant way" is stated in respect to the tithe. Just as "distant way" in respect to Pesach connotes outside the place of its (the Paschal lamb's) fitness, (i.e., the azarah [the Temple court]) so, "distant way" in respect to the tithe. And what is the place of its fitness? (All of Jerusalem) from the azarah outwards.

(2) "from a distant (rechokah) way": There is a (diacritical) dot above the heh in "rechokah" (to indicate that he observes Pesach Sheni) even if he were on a non-distant way and did not observe (the first) Pesach with them. Similarly, (Bereshit 16;5) "May the L-rd judge between me (Sarah) and between you (Abraham) (uvenecha)": There is a dot above (the yod in) "uvenecha" — She spoke of Hagar alone. Others say: (She spoke of Hagar) who engendered strife between him and her. Similarly, (Ibid. 18:9) "And they said to him (eilav): Where is Sarah, your wife?" There are dots above the aleph, yod and vav (in "eilav") — They knew where she was. Similarly (Ibid. 19:33) "and he did not know in her lying and in her rising (uvekumah)." There is a dot above (the vav in) "uvekumah" — He did not know in her lying and in her rising, but he knew in her rising. Similarly, (Ibid. 33:4) "And he (Esav) kissed (vayishakehu) him (Jacob)": There are dots above (all the letters in) "vayishakehu" — He did not kiss him with all his heart. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: It is a known halachah that Esav hates Jacob, but his mercy gained the ascendancy at that time and he kissed him with all his heart. (Ibid. 37:12) "And his brothers went to graze eth their father's flock in Shchem": There are dots above "eth" — They went only to graze themselves. Similarly, (Bamidbar 21:30) "We have laid it waste until Nofach which (asher) reaches unto Medva": There is a dot (above the resh in "asher") — They did so beyond that (Nofach) too, but here they destroyed the cities, too, whereas beyond that they destroyed only the people. Similarly, (Ibid. 3:39) "All the numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered": There are dots above "Aaron" — Aaron was not of the numbered (of the Levites). Similarly, (Ibid. 3:29) "And issaron, issaron, for the one lamb,": There is a dot above the second vav in "And issaron" — There was one issaron alone. Similarly, (Devarim 29:28) "The hidden things are for the L-rd our G-d and the revealed ones are for us and our children (lanu ulevanenu) forever.": There are dots (above "lanu ulevanenu.") He said to them: If you have done (i.e., violated) what is revealed, I (the L-rd), likewise, will apprise you of what is concealed. Here, too, (in our instance,) there is a dot (above the heh in "rechokah" to indicate that he observes Pesach Sheni) even if he were on a non-distant way and did not observe (the first) Pesach with them. (Ibid. 10) "or to your generations": This provision (of Pesach Sheni) obtains for all of the generations. (Ibid. 11) "In the second month, on the fourteenth day, towards evening shall they offer it": These are the mitzvoth (directly) pertaining to its body, viz. (Shemot 12:5) "an unblemished lamb, a male, of the first year." "with matzoh and bitter herbs shall they eat it": These are mitzvoth attendant upon its body. (Devarim, Ibid. 12) "They shall not leave over of it until the morning, and a bone shall they not break in it": Scripture hereby superadds two mitzvoth concerning its body. This tells me only of these (as obtaining on Pesach Sheni). Whence do I derive (the same for) the other mitzvoth pertaining to its body? From (Ibid.) "According to all the statue of the Pesach shall they offer it." — But perhaps this would also include (the eating of) matzoth for seven days and the burning of chametz! It is, therefore, written "and a bone shall they not break in it." "a bone, etc." was included in the general category (viz. "According to all the statute of the Pesach"), and it departed from the category (for special mention) — to teach about the category, viz. Just as "a bone, etc." is a mitzvah (directly) pertaining to its body, so, "according to all the statute of the Pesach" speaks of mitzvoth (directly) pertaining to its body, (and not of the others). Issi b. Akavya says: "shall they offer it": Scripture speaks of mitzvoth pertaining to its body.

However, know that when the light of Keter first entered its vessel, the lights that remained were diminished as a result, because it was greater than all of them combined. Therefore, it was possible for its vessel to tolerate it and to tolerate the nine other lights and not shatter. Then, when the light of Chochmah entered its vessel, the 8 lights, all of them, were included in it. When the light of Binah emerged, including within her the seven lights and they entered her vessel, it was possible for it to endure and not shatter. For, all of them were nullified by Abba and Imma. The children first stood, all of them, in the brain of their father, in the mystery of a drop of brain. When the children, in the secret of conception in the belly of the mother, it was possible for them to be there and she was able to endure them. Therefore, the existence of the restoration was the first three and they did not shatter at all. When the lower seven were included in the belly of their mother, they in the existence of the feminine waters that stimulate the upper pairing. When the lower seven emerged from there, the seven who are the "kings that ruled in the land of Edom," they wanted to enter their vessels but it was not possible for the vessels to endure and they shatter and they died as will be shown with God's help. Therefore, it will be explained first the order of these seven kings. For they were arranged from Daat downwards. Daat was first, Chesed was second, Gevurah was third, Tiferet was fourth, Netzach and Hod, they were two halves of the body, and they were fifth, Yesod was sixth and Malkhut was seventh. For Netzach and Hod are thought to be half of the body and between them, they make one whole. Know that all these concern the kings mentioned in Parashat Yishlach "these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom (Gen. 36:31)." These are their details: Bela son of Beor is Daat. You already know that Balaam is Bela, as was said by our Sages of blessed memory. He is the secret of Daat of the husk, which thus is considered to be among the nations of the world, like Moses in Israel because Moses is the aspect of the supernal Daat of Abba that is Zeir Anpin. Now this is the matter of "knowing the supernal Daat (Num. 24:16)" which was said by Balaam who emerged from the dross of Daat, as we explained in another place at length. Jovav is Chesed and this was the son of Zerach, the language of shining, for he is the aspect of Chesed that is called light, as we already know. Husham is Gevurah, for he is the secret of the five potencies and letters. Husham is 5 (the name Husham in Hebrew is an anagram for the Hebrew for 5) . According to the Torah, Husham was from the land of Temani (a word that means 8 in Aramaic). Mem-yud-tzadee and the first letter of "anger" ((chet-mem-hei) are the secret of the verse: "For the pressing of milk produces curds (Proverb 30:33)" for the Hebrew for "anger" and the Hebrew for "curds" have equivalent letters. They are the aspect of the potencies that are blood. They are turned in the full stomach into milk. From it, the pressure made curds for the baby to eat. Samlah of Masrekah is Netzach and Hod, the two halves of the body.

Now Saul from Rechovot on the River is Yesod according to the secret that has been revealed to you, for Yesod of Binah is broad, since it is female. It is called Rechovot on the River. The first letters of "Saul from Rechovot on the River" are an anagram of "Moses" because Moses is the Yesod of Abba, as mentioned above. Saul the King is from this aspect. Regarding Saul, Scripture says: "Yes, he is hiding among the 'vessels' (I Sam. 10:22)." The explanation of this is that when these kings were killed, as will be shown in another place, all the lights withdrew from them and broken vessels remained. Only the aspect of the 288 sparks remained within them, as well be shown with God’s help in a special gate. However, besides the 288 sparks, one light, which was not its own, did remain in the vessel of Yesod so that the vessel of Malchut could live. The light that remained in the vessel of Yesod that did not remain in another vessel was the aspect of the Saul that hide among the vessels. Since it was in the time of breakage and death, it is called hidden, because it could have been appropriately withdrawn also, but it remained hidden there. This was necessary for Malchut. Therefore, it is rightly the Saul of the Kingdom. Understand this!

Who is this that cometh. Some refer this to Messiah, others to the angel Michael;¹Comp. And there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael, your prince Dan. 10:21. but more correctly it may be referred to God.²The words השםִ הנכבד the honoured name of the Hebrew text are used instead of יהוה the Lord, by I. E., in order not to connect the description with dyed garments, etc., directly with God. Comp. I. E. on 42:8. This prophecy contains the decree made against Edom, that is, against the empire of Rome and Constantinople, who are called Edomites, because they adopted the Edomite religion—that is, the Christian religion—which was first established among the Edomites.^2aThe words This prophecy, etc., till among the Edomites, are omitted in some editions; they were either struck out by the censors, or left out by the printers from fear of the censorship.