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Esau Came to Claim the Cave of Machpelah and Did Not Leave Alive

When Jacob's body reached Machpelah, Esau was at the entrance with deeds and arguments. He had contested this cave all his life. He did not leave it alive.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. The Procession That Crossed Two Countries
  2. The Final Claim
  3. Naphtali's Race
  4. What Happened to Esau

The Procession That Crossed Two Countries

Jacob died in Egypt. Joseph organized a state funeral on the Egyptian model: seventy days of embalming and mourning, a procession of Pharaoh's servants and elders and chariots, the whole household of Israel and every official of the Egyptian court. The body traveled north through Canaan, through the threshing floor of Atad where the local people stopped to watch and named the place in memory of the mourning. Then toward Hebron, toward the cave of Machpelah where Abraham and Sarah were laid, where Isaac and Rebekah were laid, where Leah was laid.

When the procession arrived at the cave's entrance, Esau was already there.

The Final Claim

He had come with his sons, his retinue, men from Edom. He stood at the entrance to Machpelah and made his announcement: one of the burial places in the cave belongs to me. Not to Jacob. To him. He had his case ready. He had his lawyers, his arguments, his witnesses. He was going to prevent Jacob's burial until the question of ownership was decided in his favor.

This was the final act in a dispute that had lasted a century. Esau had sold the birthright. He had lost the blessing. He had tried to kill Jacob and then made a troubled peace with him and received back from his father Isaac a counter-blessing: you will live by the sword, you will serve your brother, but there will come a day when you shake the yoke from your neck. He had carried that promise like a knife for the rest of his long life. Now Jacob was dead and could not argue back, and the cave was the last thing left to contest.

Naphtali's Race

The deeds of purchase were in Egypt. Abraham had bought Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite with documented weights of silver, and the full legal record was in Egypt, four days' travel away. Esau knew the deeds were in Egypt. He had timed his objection for a moment when the documents could not be produced quickly.

Joseph sent Naphtali. The tribe of Naphtali was known for its speed, and Naphtali himself ran the distance to Egypt and returned with the deeds before the argument at the cave's entrance could be resolved by other means. When the documents arrived and were read aloud, Esau's legal case collapsed. The land had been bought. The papers were in order. The burial could proceed.

What Happened to Esau

The tradition records that Esau did not step aside when the deeds were produced. Chushim the son of Dan was present in the procession. He was deaf, and had not followed the extended legal dispute that had delayed the burial. He saw only that his grandfather Jacob's body was being held at the cave's entrance while men argued and the dignity of the dead waited on the convenience of the living. He did not wait for the argument to finish.

He struck Esau. The blow killed him. Esau died at the entrance to the cave where he had spent his last energy trying to reclaim what he had sold for soup sixty years before. The tradition records that his head rolled into the cave, and that in this way even Esau received a portion of the burial ground he had contested: his head was interred in Machpelah while his body was taken by his sons to Edom for burial. He got exactly enough of the cave to bury the part of him that had done the most arguing.

EsauJacobBurialCave Of MachpelahEdomDeathBirthright
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From the tradition

Sources

3 sources

The texts this telling draws on, in full. Open a card to read inline, or expand it for a wider, quieter read.

Legends of the Jews 1:428Legends of the Jews

Drawing on various Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) sources, the simmering tensions between the descendants of Jacob and Esau erupted once more. Remember the little scuffle at the Cave of Machpelah, when Esau tried to muscle his way into a burial plot? That was just a taste of what was to come. It was more than just sibling rivalry; it was a clash of destinies.

Esau, ever the impulsive one, had lost forty of his men in that initial skirmish while Jacob’s body still lay unburied. But even after Esau's death, the conflict didn't end. Fate seemed to favor Jacob's line. In the next round, eighty more of Esau's followers bit the dust, while Jacob's sons didn't lose a single man.

Joseph, ever the strategist, managed to capture Zepho, the son of Eliphaz (Esau’s son), along with fifty of his men. He chained them up and dragged them back to Egypt – a rather harsh reminder of who was in charge.

The remaining forces of Esau, led by Eliphaz, beat a hasty retreat to Mount Seir. They took with them Esau's headless corpse. Yes, you read that right, headless! They wanted to bury him in his own territory, which, you have to admit, is understandable, head or no head.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. The sons of Jacob pursued them, hot on their heels. But… they didn't kill anyone. Why? Out of respect for Esau's remains. Even in conflict, even after all the strife, there was still a sense of familial obligation, a recognition of shared ancestry. They were willing to fight, to defend what they believed was rightfully theirs. But they weren't willing to desecrate a corpse, even the corpse of their adversary. What does that say about their character? About the values they held dear?

It's a complex picture, isn't it? A mix of conflict and respect, of ambition and restraint. It reminds us that even in the midst of disagreement, even when the stakes are high, there's always room for a little bit of humanity. And sometimes, that little bit of humanity can make all the difference.

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Jasher 47Book of Jasher

Book of Jasher turns to Isaac Dies at 180 and Esau Returns From Edom.

The scene opens with Isaac, Abraham's son, nearing the end of his long life – a whopping 180 years! Esau, having heard the news, journeys from his home in Edom back to Canaan, where Jacob and his sons also gather at their father's house. Imagine the tension in that tent! Jacob is still mourning Joseph, and the air is thick with history.

Isaac, sensing his time is short, asks Jacob to bring forward his sons. He lays his hands on them, embracing and kissing each one. Then, in a powerful moment, he bestows a blessing: "May the God of your fathers bless you and increase your seed like the stars of heaven for number." He even blesses Esau's sons, wishing them to be "a dread and a terror" to their enemies.

The blessings aren't the only thing on Isaac's mind. He calls Jacob and his sons to him and reminds them of God's promise: "Unto thy seed will I give this land for an inheritance if thy children keep my statutes and my ways." He urges them to teach their children to fear the Lord and to walk in His ways. This echoes the covenant God made with Abraham, a covenant that hinges on obedience and faith.

And then, the inevitable happens. Isaac finishes his commands, breathes his last, and is gathered to his people. Jacob and Esau, united in grief, fall upon their father's face and weep. They carry him to the cave of Machpelah, the burial place Abraham purchased from the Hittites – a significant piece of real estate in the heart of Hebron.

The funeral is a grand affair. All the kings of Canaan come to pay their respects, showing Isaac great honor. Jacob and Esau, along with their sons, walk barefooted around the procession, lamenting until they reach Kireath-arba (Hebron). They bury him with the pomp and circumstance befitting a king, and a great mourning is held for many days.

With Isaac gone, the question of inheritance arises. Esau proposes dividing their father's possessions into two, with him getting first pick. Jacob agrees, but with a twist. He presents Esau with a choice: the riches or the land.

"The Lord God of heaven and earth spoke unto our fathers Abraham and Isaac," Jacob says, "saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land for an inheritance forever." He then offers Esau the ultimate deal: take the entire land for himself and his children, or take the riches and leave the land to Jacob.

Esau, ever the pragmatist, consults with Nebayoth, the son of Ishmael. Nebayoth advises him to take the riches and leave Jacob with the land. "Behold all the children of Canaan are dwelling securely in their land, and Jacob sayeth he will inherit it with his seed all the days," Nebayoth points out, essentially questioning Jacob's claim.

So, Esau takes all the riches – the livestock, the property, everything – leaving nothing for Jacob. In return, Jacob takes the land of Canaan, from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates, claiming it as an everlasting possession for himself and his descendants. This echoes the boundaries promised to Abraham in (Genesis 15:18).

And here's the kicker: Jacob also buys from Esau the cave of Machpelah, solidifying his family's claim to this crucial burial site. This act highlights the importance of tangible connections to the land and ancestral heritage.

To make it all official, Jacob writes everything down in a "book of purchase," signing it and having it witnessed. He meticulously describes the land he's acquiring, including the cities of the Hittites, Hivites, Jebusites, Amorites, Perizzites, and Gergashites – all seven nations occupying the territory. He then places this document, along with other important texts, in an earthen vessel for safekeeping, entrusting it to his children.

Esau, having taken all the wealth, departs for the land of Seir, never to return to Canaan. The Book of Jasher tells us, "Esau had possessions amongst the children of Seir, and Esau returned not to the land of Canaan from that day forward."

Thus, the stage is set. The land of Canaan becomes the inheritance of the children of Israel, while Esau and his descendants inherit the mountain of Seir. The destinies of these two brothers, forever intertwined, are now irrevocably separated, each embarking on their own path.

What does this story tell us? It's more than just a tale of inheritance. It's about choices, about priorities, and about the enduring power of promises. Esau chose immediate wealth, while Jacob chose the long-term promise of the land. It makes you wonder: What inheritance are we striving for? And what are we willing to give up to get it?

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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 39:14Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

The scene: The Cave of Machpelah in Hebron, the ancient burial ground purchased by Abraham himself. Jacob, also known as Israel, has passed away in Egypt, and his sons are bringing his body back to the Promised Land for burial. This, as you might imagine, was no simple procession.

As they arrive at the cave, who should appear but Esau, Jacob's estranged twin brother! According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating and often imaginative midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) text, Esau wasn't there to offer condolences. Oh no, he was there to cause trouble.

Esau, coming all the way from Mount Horeb, claims the Cave of Machpelah as his own! Can you imagine the nerve? He's trying to prevent the burial of his own brother! What's a family to do?

Joseph, ever the resourceful one, doesn't resort to immediate violence. Instead, he sends Naphtali, one of his brothers, on a mission. Naphtali, blessed with swiftness – "a hind let loose," as (Genesis 49:21) describes him – is dispatched to Egypt to retrieve the legal deed, the proof that Abraham had rightfully purchased the cave. The idea was to use the legal document to subdue the constellations, to gain a cosmic upper hand.

But time is of the essence and Esau is not backing down. Now enter Chushim, the son of Dan. Chushim is described as being hard of hearing and having a speech impediment. He sees the impasse, the tension, but perhaps doesn't fully grasp the diplomatic efforts being made. He notices everyone standing around, seemingly paralyzed by Esau's audacity. According to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, he asks, in effect, "Why are we just standing here?"

Seeing Esau blocking the entrance, Chushim doesn't wait for explanations or legal documents. He sees only one thing: someone preventing his grandfather from being buried. So what does he do?

He draws his sword and, in a single swift motion, removes Esau's head! Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer tells us he then takes the head into the Cave of Machpelah. The text says that Esau’s body was sent to Mount Seir, the land of his possession. Talk about a dramatic resolution!

Now, this is a rather… graphic scene, isn't it? It certainly isn't your typical burial service. What are we to make of it? Why include such a violent episode in the story of our patriarchs?

Perhaps it's a reminder that sometimes, decisive action – even drastic action – is necessary to uphold what is right. Or maybe it is a warning about the destructive power of unresolved family conflict. It certainly speaks to the deep-seated rivalry between Jacob and Esau, a rivalry that seems to extend even beyond the grave.

Whatever the interpretation, the story of Jacob's burial, as told in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, is a powerful reminder that even in moments of mourning, the complexities of family, law, and justice can collide in unexpected and often unsettling ways. It leaves us pondering the lengths to which we will go to honor our ancestors and defend what we believe is rightfully ours. It's a story that stays with you, long after you've closed the book.

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