Seir

Seir (meaning "hairy" or "rugged") is the mountainous region southeast of the Dead Sea, extending from the Zered brook to the Gulf of Aqaba, also called Edom after its Israelite inhabitants. The original inhabitants were the Horites (Hurrians; Gen. 14:6; Deut. 2:12), whom the descendants of Esau gradually displaced and absorbed. Esau himself "dwelt in Mount Seir" (Gen. 32:3; 36:8), and his descendants the Edomites made it their homeland. The region is rugged sandstone and granite terrain with deep wadis, including the famous site later known as Petra. God gave Seir to Esau as his possession (Josh. 24:4), and the Israelites were commanded not to contend with the Edomites for their land (Deut. 2:4–5).