ERPENIUS (ERPEN), THOMAS, one of the most celebrated Oriental scholars, was born at Gorkum in Holland, on the 7th of September 1584. Having completed his elementary educa tion at the schools of Leyden and Middeldorf, he, at an early age, devoted himself to the study of Oriental languages. Having spent a year at the University of Leyden, he left it, honoured with the dignity of Magister, in order to visit foreign universities and libraries. After his return to his native country in 1612, he was elected, in the fcd lowing year, to the chair of Oriental Languages at the University of Leyden, and, as the especial professorship of IIebrew was not then vacant, a second chair for Hebrew was founded for him in 1619, in order that he might be able to teach that language also publicly. Appointed Oriental in terpreter to the States-General, he still further ex tended his linguistic knowledge, and such was the mastery he acquired in reading and writing the East ern idioms, chiefly Arabic, that Eastern princes are said to have expressed their highest admiration for the purity and elegance of diction to be found in his foreign letters. Many and tempting were the offers with which Erpenius himself was honoured by foreign princes and learned bodies ; but he rejected them all, fully satisfied with his sphere in his own country. A contagious fever cut his life short in his fortieth year, ,3th November 1624. The most meritorious of his many works is undoubtedly his Arabic Grammar, which first appeared in 1613 (Grammatica Arabira, 4to), and which, up to within a comparatively recent time, has held al most undisputed sway. It has been often re edited, with additions by Deusing (r636), Golius (1656), Schultens (1748), Morss (1796), etc. He also wrote Gramm. Ebran generalis, Leyden 1621, often reprinted; and a Gramm. Syra of Chaidaa, edited by C. l'Empereur, after the author's death, Amsterdam, 1628. It cannot be said that he reached the same eminence in these branches of Semitic as he did in Arabic. Other contributions to linguistic and Biblical literature are three orations, De linguarum el ara bicez dignitate, published together in 1621, 4to ; Pauli Apost. ad Romanas Epistola, arabice, Ley den, 1615, 4to ; Pentateuchus .JWosis Arabic e,
5622, 4to ; Hatoria 7osephi Aar/arc/ice ex Alcor ano, Leyden, 1617, 4to ; Davidis Syriace, 1625, 4to ; Grammatica Arabica dicta Giarumia etc. cum versione latina et comm. 1617, 4to ; El macnt's Historia Saracinica, Arabic and Latin, of which, however, he had not completed the printing, when he died, and which was afterwards edited by Golius, Leyd. 1625, fol.
ESAU (lin ; Sept. 'naafi). The origin and meaning of the name are not quite free from ambi guity. Simon, deriving the word from ib'p, texit, renders it pilis opertus (covered with hair), and some such reason as this implies, seems in volved in the passage Gen. xxv. 25. Cruden, however, explains the name as meaning one who does (qui facit), an actor or agent. His surname of Edom (red) was given him, it appears (Gen. xxv. 30) from the red pottage which he asked of Jacob. Esau was the eldest son of Isaac, Abraham's son' (Gen. xxv. 19) by Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.' The marriage remaining for some time (about 19 years ; com pare xxv. 20, 26) unproductive, Isaac entreated Jehovah, and she became pregnant. Led by pecu liar feelings to inquire of Jehovah,' Rebekah was informed that she should give birth to twins, whose fate would be as diverse as their character, and, what in those days was stranger still, that the elder should serve the younger. On occasion of her delivery the child that was born first was red, all over like an hairy garment ; and they called his name Esau.' Immediately afterwards Jacob was born.
In process of time the different natural endow ments of the two boys began to display their effects in dissimilar aptitudes and pursuits. While Jacob was led by his less robust make and quiet disposi tion to fulfil the duties of a. shepherd's life, and pass his days in and around his tent, Esau was impelled, by the ardour and lofty spirit which agitated his bosom, to seek in the toils, adventures, and perils of the chase, his occupation and suste nance : and, as is generally the case in natures like his, he gained high repute by his skill and daring.