Genesis 25:25

25 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esav.

Genesis 25:25 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 25:25

And the first came out red
Either his body, or rather the hair it was covered with, red; which was a sign, as Jarchi observes, that he would be a shedder of blood, fierce and cruel as were he and his posterity: all over like an hairy garment;
his body was all over full of hair, which stood as thick as a garment made of hair, and was a sign of the roughness of his disposition, as well as of the strength of his body: and they called his name Esau;
his parents, and those present at his birth, all that saw him thus covered with hair; for he had his name not from the colour of his body or hair; for the word does not signify "red", but comes from a word which signifies "to make", he being a "maker": that made his way out before his brother, or an active man as afterwards, or because of his hair was "made" or born more like a man than a child; and so the Targum adds,

``because he was wholly perfect, with the hair of his head and beard, and with his teeth and grinders:''
but chiefly because of his hairiness, for Esau in the Arabic language signifies "covered" F6, as he was with hair: some say, a word in that language signifies a hairy garment made of camel's hair F7.
FOOTNOTES:

F6 <arabic> "texit", "operuit", Castel. col. 2930.
F7 Vid. Stockium. p. 923.

Genesis 25:25 In-Context

23 The LORD said to her, Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.
24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esav.
26 After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esav's heel. He was named Ya`akov. Yitzchak was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 The boys grew. Esav was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Ya`akov was a quiet man, living in tents.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.