How many times is Edom mentioned in the Bible?
The word Edom appears 106 times in the King James Version, in 96 verses. It is found in 21 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses Edom 110 times.
Edom in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of Edom counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| Edom | 106 | 110 |
| Total | 106 | 110 |
What the name Edom means
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses Edom as "red, earthy; of blood".
This is the 1869 traditional meaning; modern scholars often read names differently.
See every name and place with its meaning and count on Bible names and their meanings.
Source: Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869), checked 2026-10-22.
Which books mention Edom most
Edom appears in 21 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 1 Chronicles has the most (19), then Genesis (11) and Numbers (9).
Also in: Obadiah (2), Exodus (1), 1 Samuel (1), Daniel (1), Joel (1), Malachi (1).
First and last mention of Edom
And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
The verse that uses it most is 2 Samuel 8:14, 3 times:
And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
Where the two translations differ
1 verse matches in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 7 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
2 Kings 14:7: counted in the KJV only
He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.
2 Chronicles 21:8: counted in the World English Bible only
In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
2 Chronicles 21:10: counted in the World English Bible only
So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers.
Common questions
How many times is Edom in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 106 of the 106 uses are in the Old Testament and 0 in the New Testament. Edom appears in 21 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 1 Chronicles has the most (19), then Genesis (11) and Numbers (9).
Where is Edom first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 25:30: "And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom." The last is Malachi 1:4.
What does the name Edom mean in the Bible?
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses Edom as "red, earthy; of blood".
More word counts: Golgotha, Gethsemane, Calvary, Armageddon, paradise, ephod, cubit, shekel, or all 484 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-22.