"Burgon identifies Petra with ancient Edom, and reads its present-day desolation as the fulfillment of biblical prophecies concerning Israel's ancient enemy." - The Creationist Debate (2006)

"Petra...lies in ancient Edom, a perfect place of refuge from the Antichrist during the Tribulation period." -The A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy (2012)

"Petra stands in the land of ancient Edom, modern-day Jordan." - The Swindoll Study Bible (2018)

"Petra is an ancient Edomite city located in present-day Jordan." - Moses and Jesus (2011)

Who are the modern-day Edomites of Biblical prophecy? Are the Arabs of Jordan the true descendants of the Edomites?

In 1839, the American Sunday-School Union (founded in 1824) published a book on the Edomites in Biblical prophecy, titled "Ancient Edom, and the Fulfilment of Prophecy in the Present State of Arabia Petrea."

In its introduction, the book explains the importance of the history of the

"The scattered fragments of history relating to the Edomites, are brief, and widely separated....The prophecies against Edom were supposed, until a recent period, to relate to the wicked in general, and the destruction and desolation denounced were regarded by commentators only as sublime figures of the over throw of all God's enemies. But late discoveries enable us to decipher literally, many of those mysterious threatenings, by showing with what fearful completeness they have been executed upon a nation, that more than, any other deserved to be designated as haters of their brethren."

First published January 1, 1839