Paul writes a difficult statement in Romans 9:13:
Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.
Scholars debate whether or not God actually hated Esau. There are two main opinions on this question.
Option 1: Hate = “Love Less”
Some argue that the reference to hate in Malachi 1:2-3 is a Hebrew idiom for “love less.” They point out that Jesus instructs us to love our enemies rather than hate them (Matt 5:44), point to the places where Jesus tells His disciples to both hate and love their parents (Luke 14:26; Mark 10:19), and remind people that God has strictly forbidden the Israelites from hating the Edomites (Deut 23:7).
Greg Boyd succinctly explains this idea:
Some might suppose that God’s pronouncement that he “loved” Jacob and “hated” Esau shows that he is speaking about their individual eternal destinies, but this is mistaken. In Hebraic thought, when “love” and “hate” are contrasted they usually are meant hyperbolically. The expression simply means to strongly prefer one person or thing over another.
So, for example, when Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:26), he was not saying we should literally hate these people. Elsewhere he taught people to love and respect their parents, as the Old Testament also taught (Mk 10:19). Indeed, he commanded us to love even our enemies (Mt 5:44)! What Jesus was saying was that he must be preferred above parents, spouses, children, siblings and even life itself. The meaning of Malachi’s phrase, then, is simply that God preferred Israel over Edom to be the people he wanted to work with to reach out to the world (See “How do you respond to Romans 9?“)
Option 2: Hate = Hate
Others, however, argue that God did in fact hate Esau (and the Edomites), for that is what the text clearly states. The Calvinistic commentator John Murray provides a good explanation of this view:
We must, therefore, recognize that there is in God a holy hate that cannot be defined in terms of not loving or loving less. Furthermore, we may not tone down the reality of intensity of this hate by speaking of it as “anthropopathic” … The case is rather, as in all virtue, that this holy hate in us is patterned after holy hate in God (Murray, Romans, 2:22).
So which view is right? Did God hate Esau?
How can we choose between the two views above? Does God hate Esau and Edom, or does He simply love Edom less than He loves Israel?
The solution to the problem of Romans 9:13 is to agree with those who say that “hate” means “hate,” but to also agree with the others who argue that neither Paul nor Malachi are talking about Esau’s eternal destiny (or anyone else for that matter).
More critical still is to recognize that what God hated is not specifically Esau, for Malachi 1:3 was written many centuries after he had died, nor was God saying He hates the people of Edom.
Instead, God hated how Edom behaved toward Israel.
The Hebrew word used in Malachi 1:3 for “hate” (Heb., sanati) is used in various other places to speak of hatred for the sin and wickedness of people (cf. Psa 26:5; 101:3; 119:104, 128, 163; Prov 8:13; Jer 44:3; Amos 5:21; 6:8; Zech 8:17), not hatred for the people themselves. In light of what many other biblical prophets say about the actions and behavior of Edom (cf. Jer 49:7-22; Lam 4:21-22; Ezek 25:12-14; Amos 1:6-11), this is how we can understand God’s hatred in Malachi 1:3.
God does not hate Edom; He hates how she has behaved. Specifically, God hated how Edom treated Israel.
To read more about this, check out my new book: The Re-Justification of God.
If you want to read more about Calvinism, check out other posts in this blog series: Words of Calvinism and the Word of God.
Another explanation is that the story of Jacob and Esau was written as part of Israel’s “tribal history.” Jacob fathered twelve sons whose descendents were the twelve tribes. Esau’s descendents were the Edomites. Obviously God “favored” Jacob, whose descendents became the nation of Israel. Obviously he did not favor Esau. Just look at who his descendents were.
Trying to apply that story to theological discussions such as predestination, who God hates, people’s eternal destiny and similar topics is probably a case of trying to find Bible stories to support a theological viewpoint, as in “this is our theology, now let’s see if we can find some verses in the Bible that might support our views”. Do you know the Bible condemns sugar, guitars, and certain colors of neckties? (Some people say it is red. Others are certain it is black.) I’ve heard all of those things argued and “backed up” by Scripture. Don’t ask which Scriptures. I refuse to get a discussion on any of those things started.
You are absolutely right that the Bible can be used to defend almost any sort of idea or theology. This just shows how poorly we have not only understood what the Bible says, but also what the Bible is FOR.
You stated “Instead, God hated how Edom behaved toward Israel”.
I believe you are the right track but that it is not Israel but “God” Esau is one never repented of his sins. There are two groups of people one represented by Jacob who repented and the other by Esau. Two twin brothers who were from the same tribe, same family and had the same parents, rasied in the same household but with two very different outcomes because of the decisions they made. This shows that God is no respect of persons like we men tend to be. We want our family, our tribe, our group to somehow be special in eyesight of God. But not so of one blood made all of mankind. And he gives a meaure of faith to all. What you do with the faith God has by grace given you makes the difference. If you like Esau waste the gift that he has given you, you can end up like Esau being hate by God. We need to be like the two spies of Isreal with a good report, Josua and Calib who kept the faith and recieved the promises of God. The others although they had recieved the same opportunity from God never recieved promises. People like Esau even though blessed by God miss out on the full promises because they never repent. And God hates that.
God rejection of Esau wasn’t based on the fact that He sinned against Him. Although, Esau’s life had been plague with some unfortunate events. The choice had already been made by God before they were even born. Jacob was a very deceitful person due to the fact he used cunning and deceit to obtain the inheritance, but despite of that God has chosen him anyway. This an unconditional decision that God made to favor Jacob over Esau. When Jacob got in trouble and ran away, he wasn’t the one who was seeking God. God revealed Himself to him by reminding him of His eternal covenant with His grand father Abraham.
“God rejection of Esau wasn’t based on the fact that He sinned against Him.
Although, Esau’s life had been plague with some unfortunate events. The choice had already been made by God before they were even born.”
Because God says what men are going to do before it occurs, does not mean that his judgment of their actions it is not based on their sin. God is not bound by time as we are bound. He even knows our thoughts before we even think them (psalms 94:11;139:2) ; surely he knows what we are going to decide to do before we do it. This evident when we examine the prophecies of the Prophets in the bible, we see God revealing to them not only what he is going to do in the future but also what men are going to do. In Isaiah 45:1 God has Isaiah name Cyrus by name and state what Cyrus is going to do. In Revelation chapter 6 God shows us everyone who is going be saved even those who have not been born in our time. This does not mean that his decision to save them is not based on their decision to repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their savior; but simply that God knows ahead of our time what men are going to do because he lives in eternity and can see from our perspective our past, present and future all at the sametime. Unbelief which is sin, repentance from sin and belief are the things which define our relationship with God. Since all have sinned come short of the Glory of God; the main action of man which determines our relation with God is repentance. David is acceptable to God because he repented, and like Jacob but Esau found no place of repentance (Hebrews 12:17) and thus is hated by God. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and it our sins which cuts us off from God. (Isaiah 59:2) God is not arbitrary or illogical; rather he is fair, just and righteous in his Judgements.
I understand your point regarding the foreknowledge of God. But, when looking at what transpired between both Jacob and Esau, it’s easy for us to realize that Jacob didn’t have God in mind during his journey. The guy was running away as a result of what he had done, since God’s choice of him was unconditional; therefore, He proceeded with His plan. The Bible tells that while Jacob was into hiding, God revealed Himself plainly to Him until he finally repented. But, when it comes to Esau the way that (Hebrews 12:17) puts it, he tried to repent by desperately seeking the blessings, but it was too late. It’s a blessing that was stolen by Jacob. Shall we say had Esau repented on time would God have changed His plan?
Lastly, dealing with God’s foreknowledge can really be a complicated matter since it leads to tons of hypothetical questions.
Repentance is not in your power; it is God’s gift, which He gives when He will. “God hath exalted Christ with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel” (Act 5:31)
To give repentance – The word “repentance” here is equivalent to “reformation” and “a change of life.” The sentiment does not differ from what is said in Act 3:26.
Forgiveness of sins – Pardon of sin; the act which can be performed by God only
“God hath exalted Christ with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel”
It denotes that he has “dominion” and “power,” especially the power to give repentance and the pardon of sins.
So repentance was not within Esau’s power.
There is a problem with the article and the comments. Trying to understand the Bible completely in English is a mistake. I see no study of the original language and the historical context. Everyone loves to make Esau out to be a good guy, and Jacob a swindling thief. Going to the original language and considering the cultural responsibilities and expectations of that time, this is what the actual scenario is. Esau was not, as the first born son, learning to be a wise chieftain to those who would someday look to him for leadership. And he didn’t liked to hunt occasionally for relaxation. His family was rich with herds-there was plenty of meat to be had, but people see the word “hunt” and immediately see Esau as some kind of brave, tough provider for the family. What the text from original Hebrew actually says is Esau was “ish sadeh,”, Hebrew for ‘a man of the open fields’. And, no, it didn’t mean in the historical context that he was a strong, independent type. It means his life orientation was to shirk his responsibilities to go hunting. And he liked hunting because he enjoyed killing and violence, the “thrill of the kill”as opposed to preparing to be a leader and protector. His brother Jacob is described as “quiet” or “plain”, the Hebrew description is “ish tam”, which describes Jacob in sharp contrast to the character of Esau. Whereas Esau was “ish sadeh”, Jacob was “ish tam”, ‘a man wholeheartedly for God.’ This Hebrew word “tam” is one of the most common words the Bible uses to refer to being wholeheartedly devoted to walking with God. Nearly all translations of Genesis mistranslate it. And yes, this had a lot to do why Jacob, the second born, became the father of the 12 tribes, and why God “hated” Esau. To say Esau was a great guy and Jacob a cheat is to say God is unjust or doesn’t know what what’s going on. Esau went out and came back with not one, but TWO pagan women who made his parent’s lives miserable. You think Isaac didn’t know what kind of person Esau was? He knew how his wife arranged to have Jacob get the blessing-they did it that way to avoid the wrath of their son, who did not care about his parents or his birthrigh-he sold it for a bowl of soup! He wasn’t “tricked”. His birthright meant nothing to him. Please, do some diligent study of the Word. It is an ancient book, not a modern text that you can hope to understand with surface reading. It requires devoted study to the language and history and help from the Holy Spirit to avoid making serious errors that affect our walk with the Almighty. Peace.
The idiomatic explanation works for me. But we always looked on it as favoured (loved) and not favoured (hated). It’s exactly how brothers would grow up thinking. “Oh look, Father really did love my lot. He promised us world domination through a Messiah. What did you get?”
That’s true. People do think in this all-or-nothing, black-and-white way. We make points by using hyperbole and exaggeration. I do it on this blog all the time.
Does God hate divorce? Or does he just not mind it too much?
Every book of the bible must stand on its own, or within its generation of books and teachings. Some invoke long age in Genesis with 2 Peter as evidence we can’t know the timeline. These are falsehoods. Each book is either perfectly inerrant or God is incompetent. You cannot have a perfect God and these problems. People need to get over themselves and think they are worthy of anything besides eternal damnation. We may have been cursed due to the original fall, but we are to be punished for our own hearts. The fact that some will not be punished is astounding.
Or maybe you all could allow the bible to be its own commentary and see what Paul says in the new testament about this Jacob vs Esau issue instead of thoughts of men. Do your own study.
Hints:
1) Galatians
2) The flesh vs the spirit – the two natures of believers.
3) Search for Yankee Arnold on youtube and his teaching on Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated
I think Rm 9:14 talked more about it, God prefered Israel over Edom because of His mercy upon Israel, there is no prerequisite to God’s mercy, he decides to show it to those he is willing to show it to and that is why he is God, no one can question Him. Such is the case of Esau and Jacob, because he loved him, God did all he could to ensure that he was a beneficiary of that mercy, he revealed himself unto Jacob severally until he saw God and his life changed totally. Look at Esau, even though he was moving farther away from God, nothing changed, no revelation from God, nothing changed, rather he was moving from one error to d other. May we be beneficiaries of God’s mercies in our daily lives in Jesus name.
I have read many of your posts and I have to say that while I disagree with some of your assumptions, I strongly agree with your understanding of radical grace. The problem I see with this post is how you missed grace and it’s understandable because I missed it for many years too. Allow me a chance to explain:
Jacob = grace
Esau = law.
Go back into the genesis account and look where it explains the lifestyles of each of the boys. I think its genesis 25, but I’m not certain. As the story goes Esau was accepted by Issac because Issac enjoyed Esau’s hunting. He was well fed by his boy. Now Jacob was a mild manner kind of guy that loved to stay home and let the parents provide. Esau was doing the work and Jacob was resting.
Furthermore, Esau despised his birthright, which is freely given. You can’t earn a birthright. The law despises that which is creepy given, grace.
Esau represents the law and Jacob represents grace. God loves grace more than he loves the law.
Creepy was supposed to be freely. Autocorrect
Wait … you agree with my understanding of radical grace, but then say I have misunderstood grace?
You must have misread what I said. Don’t get testy because of your mistake. I said i agreed with your view on radical grace, but you missed, ie: failed to apply grace to the Jacob and esau story, which i explained.
Because i disagree with some of the things you say you dont have to get defensive.
I wasn’t defensive. I was confused by what you wrote … thanks for clarifying.
I explained to you that the story of Jacob and esau was about law and grace. Esau represents law and Jacob represents grace.
The same happens with cain and able, moses and Joshua, issac and ishmael, ananias and saphira. While they can be historical they also have a theological meaning as well.
Moses – wrote the law (law).
Joshua – brought them into the promised land (grace).
Cain – farmer (effort for provision) thus the law.
Abel – animal farmer, non effort, this grace.
Ishmael – Abraham’s effort = law
Issac – promised son = grace.
Annanias = means grace
Saphira = stone, ie the law written on stone, thus the law.
I explained jacob and esau as well. This is why I said you missed the application of grace to the story.
It’s pretty simple actually. God hates Esau. There’s no need to try to perform mental gymnastics. God HATES Esau. Some of Esau will be saved (remnant), but most of Esau will be destroyed in the end times.
It’s the same with Isaiah 45:7-12. This is the nature of God. Take it or leave it, but don’t try to deny it.
1 Kings 22:21-23
2 Thessalonians 2:11
Judges 9:23
1 Samuel 16:14
In all those cases, the parties gave legal right for the enemy to have jurisdiction over an area of his/her life.
Hosea 4:6. There is the law, and then there is lawlessness. Many Christians think the law is of no effect and promote a lifestyle of lawlessness and cling to grace as their get out of jail card. There is no grace for those who practice sin, only the judgment. Grace can only be received when one is living a life of repentance and holiness unto the LORD.
1. God is defined as love.
2. For God so loved the world…
3. Therefore, God cannot hate people.
“Grace can only be received when one is living a life of repentance and holiness unto the LORD.” Eph 2:8-9 states we are saved by grace through faith, or when we believe. Grace isn’t based on our works.
1 Kings 22:19-22. We are told very plainly what occurs in the unseen realm.
Verses 23-24 go on to tell us how people who hate the truth react when they’re told the truth. Zedekiah didn’t like the message. It wasn’t “edifying.” It didn’t “tickle his ears.” So, he smote the prophet on the cheek and had him thrown in prison.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12. Those that choose to reject the truth will then be given over to a strong delusion. The strong delusion only occurs when one rejects the truth. If you hate the truth, then enjoy the delusion. The truth is in the scriptures. The law is not abolished. It is kept when one abides in His love and walks in the spirit. Put away the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, the pride of life. Those who practice such things will never inherit the kingdom of God.
There is no grace when one remains unrepentant. There is no grace to those who practice sin. Those who believe that grace is still present while they live in sin are already in a strong delusion. Be ye holy as He is holy.
In the case of Judges 9: 23 and Samuel 16:14, the enemy had been given jurisdiction (legal right) to attack these men.
Hosea 4:6 tells us exactly the knowledge God’s people had rejected. It is the same knowledge God’s people reject today. It’s the same knowledge mainstream Christianity rejects and keeps them defeated. They reject the knowledge of the law. They fail to understand that the law has never been abolished. It was lived perfectly through Christ, but God’s law endures forever.
The law existed before it was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Abraham kept the law and commandments (Genesis 26:2-5). Even Noah did all that God commanded him. These men also found GRACE in the sight of God, so grace isn’t a New Testament concept.
God’s grace is extended to those who repent (turn away from their sins) but those that continue in their sins and falsely claim that “God’s grace saves me” are in for a frightful experience. There is no grace when there is no repentance. Those who preach otherwise are living in a strong delusion.
Come out and be ye separate and hearken unto the words in James 4:4-10.
We keep the law via a relationship with Christ. The law is not a list of rules. The law is good and just (Psalms 119). Read Psalms 119 and tell me if that sounds like something oppressive to keep. Imagine a world without laws? It would be chaos/anarchy. The spirit of Antichrist is the spirit of lawlessness which works even now. It is the spirit that says, “Do as thou wilt.” It claims to hurt no one, but it defies God. We keep the law by walking in the spirit.
The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life keep us walking in our own lusts (James 4:4-10).
We are called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice and not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:1-2).
When Christians deceive themselves and believe they are under grace while living in willful sin, they are under a strong delusion. The law is good and just (Psalms 119). We keep the law when we do as Romans 12:1-2 commands. When we are walking in the spirit (led by the Holy Spirit) and not according to the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, we will be opposed to the world’s ways. We will be deemed enemies of the world. However, when we are conformed to the world, the world will love us for we are of the world. Those that walk according to the flesh will reap destruction and cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Let us not deceive ourselves. 2.5 billion professing Christians are not walking in the spirit (Matthew 7:13)
So the law is perfect and established forever, and God hates Esau for what Esau continues to do to His chosen people.
Malachi 1:4 tells us that Esau is continually rebellious against the LORD. Throughout the Old Testament and even to this day, Esau seeks to exalt himself above the knowledge of God.
Yet, Esau will be destroyed (Obadiah 1:8-18). This causes many Christians (and non Christians) to squirm because they don’t believe that God could do such a thing. Our theologians have told us that God is a loving God (and He is), but they fail to teach you the truth regarding God’s nature. God is Just and He is HOLY. God is love (1 John 4:8) but God requires holiness.
Jeremiah 49:10-22. Make no mistake, God HATES Esau and for good cause.
Now the question to ask is, “Who is Esau?” Whoever it is, they know who they are, and they’re ready to do battle against the Holy One. They won’t stand a chance.
Why is it that Christians do not Question God’s Love as being Love, But they Question and come up with all kinds of excuses to Question His Hate as not being Hate.
I think it’s because nobody wants to believe God can hate someone such a person even someone as stubborn as Esua. It’s more like disregarded or not looked upon so we try to find or figure out a different word meaning of it like it say because it’s like if God hates esua who are we not to be loved despite of what we do things we do we don’t feel Worthy in that aspects if we think that considering God is love so we have to live that way which causes us to think otherwise.
it’s very interesting explanation.