Genesis 36:31

31 En dit zijn koningen, die geregeerd hebben in het land Edom, eer een koning regeerde over de kinderen Israels.

Genesis 36:31 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 36:31

And these [are] the kings that reigned in the land of Edom,
&c.] In the land that was afterwards called the land of Edom; for this laud was not so called when these kings began to reign: for, according to Bishop Cumberland ^F6, and those that follow him ^F7, these were Horite kings, who, after their defeat by Chedorlaomer, ( Genesis 14:5 Genesis 14:6 ) ; in order to secure themselves the better from such a calamity for the future, set up a kingdom, and which appears, by the following account, to be elective; and so Maimonides ^F8 observes, that not one of these kings were of Edom: and these were, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel;
and there being no kings over Israel until many years after the times of Moses, hence some have thought these words are inserted by some other writer after him; but there is no need to suppose that; for Moses knew, from foregoing prophecies and promises, that kings would arise out of them and reign over them, ( Genesis 17:6 ) ( 35:11 ) ; and this he was so certain of, that he himself, by divine direction, gave laws and rules to the children of Israel respecting their future kings, ( Deuteronomy 17:14-20 ) ; besides Moses himself was king in Jeshurun or Israel, ( Deuteronomy 33:5 ) , so that it is the same as if he had said, these are the kings that reigned in Edom, before this time.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Orig. Gent. Antiq. p. 1-24.
F7 Bedford in his Scripture Chronology, and the Authors of the Universal History.
F8 Morch Nevochim, par. 3. c. 50. p. 510.

Genesis 36:31 In-Context

29 Dit zijn de vorsten der Horieten: de vorst Lotan, de vorst Sobal, de vorst Zibeon, de vorst Ana.

30 De vorst Dison, de vorst Ezer, de vorst Disan; dit zijn de vorsten der Horieten, naar hun vorsten in het land Seir.

31 En dit zijn koningen, die geregeerd hebben in het land Edom, eer een koning regeerde over de kinderen Israels.

32 Bela dan, de zoon van Beor, regeerde in Edom, en de naam zijner stad was Dinhaba.

33 En Bela stierf, en Jobab, de zoon van Zerah, van Bozra, regeerde in zijn plaats.