Edom means in the bible: Red. Red. 1:35 to 42; their country in Mount Seir Gen. 36:9, 32:3 and Deut. 2:5, 12, 22. The country was located south of the Dead Sea and had Moab to the north, and the Dead Sea to the northwest. This country was outside the boundaries of Israel Deut. 2:5; Josh. 24:4. It was called Idumea from the Maccabees era. It was probably a dweller in caves or holes that the original inhabitants, or Horites Gen.14:6 and 36:20 were. Conquest brought it into the control of Esau’s descendants. Deut. 2:4-5, 23:7 mentions the close blood relation between the Israelites (and the Edomites) Even with the close kinship, there appears to have been severe mutual hatred and constant wars Num. 20:14-21; 21:4; Judg. 11:17; 1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:13-14; Jer. 27:3; 49:7-22; Ezek. 35:3-15. 35:3-15.
(in Bible Dictionary)