Matthew Poole and continuators on Malachi 1:3

3 And I hated Esau , and laid his mountains and his heritage waste , for the dragons of the wilderness.

I loved not Esau or his Posterity, as I loved Iacob and his Posterity; this Not loving, comparatively is a hating; God shew'd not the same kindness to the Twin-brothers, the one was more enrich'd with the fruits of Gods Love, and had cause to he thankful, the other had no cause to complain, for God did him no wrong.

Containing his Posterity with him; for though the hatred or lesser love began towards Esau's Person, yet the effects of it appear'd more manifestly in Esau's Posterity.

Mount Seir with the neighbouring mountains gives to Esau, Deut. 2.5. Iosh. 24.4. for inheritance as here 'tis said, and which he and his Posterity did enjoy about 1200 years.

By Nebuchadnezzar's Arms five years after the sacking of Ierusalem, as foretold by Ezek. 35. The people were slain or captivated, or forced to fly from the sword of the Enemy, their Cities taken, plundered, and burnt. It is possible that they might meet with worse usage than the Iewes met with herein, however their state seems equal, and here is no token of unequal hatred, but what follows doth manifestly discover it, for whereas Iacob's Captivity returned, and their Cities were rebuilt, Esau's never were.

Or Iachales or Owles, for the word is so used and explain'd by some, or all these with Dragons, doleful Creatures, which delight in desolate places, by which the utter desolation and the perpetuity of the desolation of Esau is signified.

Marginal references: Jer. 49.17, 18. Ezek. 35.7, 9. Obad. 10, &c.