“love” and “hate” in this context? We will have to reject statements like that of Edgar, according to whom Malachi’s response is characterized “for its lack of depth.” “How can God’s love,” he asks, “be demonstrated by comparing it to his hate for Esau? The reasoning is not altogether acceptable to us.”36 The same applies to the statement of Brockington according to whom “this attitude of Yahweh to Edom reflects … Israel’s own attitude to Esau.”37 Would this also have been Paul’s attitude when he