When Paul cited from Malachi (“Jacob I loved but Esau I hated”) I have concluded that Paul was using the Hebrew sanae to mean “unloved.” God did not “hate” Esau in the sense of condemnation, but simply did not bestow His love upon Esau because of his unworthy behavior of selling his birthright. God does the same with us by bestowing love in the form of grace and withholding love as a form of testing and instruction. God does not hate His children, but He does withhold His love for unworthy behavior.