Abedomu ni ubwoko buturuka kuri Esawu, umuhungu w’imfura wa Isaka akaba n’impanga ya Yakobo. Mu nda ya Rebeka, Esawu na Yakobo bajyaga bakirana, maze Uwiteka abwira Rebeka, ko mu nda ye harimo amahanga abiri kandi umukuru azaba umugaragu w’umutoya (Itang 25:23). Gakuru ariwe Esawu yagurishije ubutware bwe nk’umwana w’imfura na Yakobo (Itang 25:30-34), ahera ubwo yangana n’umuvandimwe we. Esawu yabaye se w’Abedomu naho Yakobo ahinduka se w’Abisraheri, ayo mahanga akomeza kugenda ahangana mu mibereho yayo. Muri Biblia “Seyiri” (Yosuwa 24:4), “Bosira” (Yesaya 63:1) na “Sela” (2 Abami 14:7) yari imijyi yo mu gihugu cya Edomu.

Izina “Edomu” mu rurimi rwabo risobanura “umutuku,” kandi icyo gihugu cyo mu majyepfo ya mer morte cyahawe iryo zina kubera umusenyi waho ugira ibara ry’umutuku. Esawu, rero yagurishije umurage we w’imfura, aba se w’Abedomu, nyuma atwara umuryango we mu gihugu cy’imisozi aricyo Edomu. Itang 36 iki gice kivuga ku mateka ya mbere y’Abedomu, kigaragaza kandi ko bari bafiet abami babatwaraga mbere cyane y’uko Israheri igira umwami (Itang 36:31).

Iyobokamana y’Abedomu yasaga nk’iz’andi mahanga y’abapagani basenganga ibigirwamana. Abakomoka kuri Esawu baragiye biharira ibihugu by’amajyepfo bakora ubuhinzi n’ubucuruzi. Umwe mu mihanda ya kera y’ubucuruzi, inzira y’umwami (kubara 20:17), yacaga muri Edomu, ndetse igihe Abisraheri babasabaga kuyica bava mu Egiputa, barabahakaniye ndetse bashyiraho ingabo zo kuharinda ngo nibahaca babarwanye.

Kubera ko bari benewabo, Uwiteka yabujije Abisraheri kwanga Abedomu urunuka (Gutegek 23:8). Nyamara, Abedomu bakundaga gutera Abisraheri bakabarwanya, ndetse banarwanye intambara nyinshi bagatsindwa. Umwami Sawuli yarwanye nabo arabatsinda, na Dawidi yarabatsinze abahindura abagaragu be, ashyira umutwe w’ingabo muri Edomu zibayo. Kuyobora igihugu cy’Abedomu, Israheri byayiheshaga kugera ku cyambu cya Esiyonigeberi (Ezion-Geber) ku Nyanja itukura, aho umwami Salomo yajyaga akunda kohereza abantu kuzana ibikoresho bubakishaga urusengero (1Abam 9:26). Nyuma y’uko Salomo amaze gutanga, Abedomu barigometse ndetse bagira n’ubwigenge kugeza aho bigaruriwe n’Abashuri.

Mu gihe cy’intambara z’Abamakabe, Abedomu batwarwaga n’Abayuda bakanabahatira kujya mu idini rya Kiyuda. Muri ibyo byose, Abedomu bakomeza kugirira urwango Abayuda. Ikigiriki kimaze kuba ururimi ruhuza abantu bose mu bwami bw’Abagiriki netse n’Abaroma, Edomu yatangiye kwitwaga Idumaya (Marik 3:8). Abaroma bagiye ku butegetsi, Umwedomu, wari ufite se wahindukiriye idini ya Kiyuda, yagizwe umwami wa Yudaya. Uyu mwedomu mu mateka azwi ku izina rya Herode mukuru, umwe wategetse kwica abana b’abahungu i Betelehemu kugira ngo n’umwana Yesu apfemo ariko ntiyabibasha kumwica (Mat 2:16-18).

Nyuma y’urupfu rwa Herode, Abedomu batangiye buhoro buhoro kugenda bibagirana mu mateka. Imana yari yaravuze irimbuka ry’Abedomu muri Ezekiyeri, igira iti, “Uko wishimye yuko gakondo yanyu y’inzu ya Israheri ibaye umwirare niko nzakugenzereza, nawe uzaba umwirare wa musozi wa Seyiri we, ndetse na Edomu yose. Maze bazamenya ko ndi Uwiteka” (Ezek 35:15).
Nubwo Abedomu bategetse Abayuda mu gihe cya Yesu na mbere yaho, ibyo Imana yari yarabwiye Rebeka ko umukuru azaba umugaragu w’umutoya byarasohoye: Umukuru yategetswe n’umuto kandi Israheri (Yakobo) yagaragaje ko akomeye kuruta Edomu (Esawu).

By: BYIRINGIRO Jean Dominique