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be true of the two children as such (the "elder" and the "younger") and also prophetically
true of the two nations descended from them (the "greater" and the "lesser").
It should be noticed that the words "greater" and "lesser" are not used in connection
with the two children, but occur in the concluding statement about the two "nations" and
"peoples", one of which is "stronger" than the other. The Hebrew word rab, translated
"elder" in Gen. 25: 23, occurs some hundreds of times in the O.T. Scriptures, but is not
translated "elder" in any other passage. While we now know that the "greater" coincided
with the "elder" of the twins, the prophecy did not make this clear. The whole account of
the blessing of Jacob would be difficult to understand if Isaac knew that Esau had been
definitely set aside. Which of the two sons was to be the father of the "greater" people
was beyond the power of Rebekah and Isaac to discover, and we are only able to know
now because prophecy has become history.
It is a matter of history that the Edomites grew rapidly to greatness. While Israel were
journeying through the wilderness, a band of pilgrims just liberated from Egypt's
bondage, the Edomites were a settled kingdom.
"And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom. Thus saith thy
brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us . . . . . Let us pass, I pray
thee, through thy country" (Num. 20: 14-17).
That Edom was the "greater" people at that time is evident, for we read: "Edom came
out against him with much people, and with a strong hand" (Num. 20: 20). Subsequently
Edom was conquered, and of David we read: "He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all
Edom he put garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants' (II Sam. 8: 14).
We learn from Josephus that under John Hyrcanus the national independence of Edom
was finally destroyed, and they merged into the nation which had at first been "the
lesser".
Just as the name Israel stands both for Jacob himself and also for the nation descended
from him, so the name Esau is used in the Scriptures both for the twin brother of Jacob,
and for his descendants, the Edomites.
Thus we read:
"I have given Mount Seir unto Esau" (Deut. 2: 5).
"I have made Esau bare" (Jer. 49: 10).
Had the apostle, when writing Rom. 9:, intended to discuss the doctrines of
free-will, and eternal election and reprobation, he would have been obliged to have
introduced many different arguments. His purpose in this chapter is much simpler. He is
pointing out that the whole history of the people of Israel is the outworking of an elective
purpose, and that if this elective purpose is satisfied for the moment by the salvation of a
remnant, then there can be no truth in the suggestion that the Word of God has failed.
When seen in their true context, the words "hate" and "love" in verse 13 create no
insuperable difficulty, but if the apostle's object in Rom. 9: is misunderstood, then we