Genesis 36:12

12 Eliphaz also had a slave woman named Timna, and Timna and Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek. These were Esau's grandsons by his wife Adah.

Genesis 36:12 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 36:12

And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son
She is said to be the sister of Lotan, the eldest son of Seir the Horite, ( Genesis 36:22 ) ; in ( 1 Chronicles 1:36 ) mention is made of Timna among the sons of Eliphaz, and of Duke Timnah here, ( Genesis 36:40 ) ; and Gerundinsis F25 is of opinion, that Timnah the concubine of Eliphaz, after she had bore Amalek, conceived and bore another son, and she dying in childbirth, he called it by her name to perpetuate her memory: but Jarchi says, that Eliphaz lay with Lotan's mother, the wife of Seir the Horite, of whom was born Timna, and when she grew up she became his concubine, and so was both his daughter and his concubine: and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek;
from whence the Amalekites sprung, often mentioned in Scripture, whom the Israelites were commanded utterly to destroy, ( 1 Samuel 15:18 ) : these [were] the sons of Adah, Esau's wife;
that is, her grandsons.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 Apud Menasseh ben Israel, conciliator in Gen. Quaest. 57. p. 81.

Genesis 36:12 In-Context

10 Esau's sons were Eliphaz, son of Adah and Esau, and Reuel, son of Basemath and Esau.
11 Eliphaz had five sons: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 Eliphaz also had a slave woman named Timna, and Timna and Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek. These were Esau's grandsons by his wife Adah.
13 Reuel had four sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were Esau's grandsons by his wife Basemath.
14 Esau's third wife was Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. (Anah was the son of Zibeon.) Esau and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.