Genesis 36

Esau's Family

1 These are the family records of Esau (that is, Edom).^[a]

2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanite women: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite,^[b] Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter^[c] of Zibeon the Hivite;

3 and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.^[d]

4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel,

5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were Esau's sons, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

6 Esau took his wives, sons, daughters, and all the people of his household, as well as his herds, all his livestock, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan; he went to a land away from his brother Jacob.

7 For their possessions were too many [for them] to live together, and because of their herds, the land where they stayed could not support them.

8 So Esau (that is, Edom) lived in the mountains of Seir.^[e]

9 These are the family records of Esau, father of the Edomites in the mountains of Seir.

10 These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz son of Esau's wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esau's wife Basemath.

11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.

12 Timna, a concubine of Esau's son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Esau's wife Adah.

13 These are Reuel's sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau's wife Basemath.

14 These are the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter^[f] of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Edom.

15 These are the chiefs of Esau's sons: the sons of Eliphaz, Esau's firstborn: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,

16 Korah,^[g] Gatam, and Amalek. These are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Adah.

17 These are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Esau's wife Basemath.

18 These are the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the chiefs of Esau's wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah.

19 These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.

Seir's Family

20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom.

22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Heman. Timna was Lotan's sister.

23 These are Shobal's sons: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

24 These are Zibeon's sons: Aiah and Anah. This was the Anah who found the hot springs^[h] in the wilderness while he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon.

25 These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah daughter of Anah.

26 These are Dishon's sons: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

27 These are Ezer's sons: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.

28 These are Dishan's sons: Uz and Aran.

29 These are the chiefs of the Horites: Chiefs Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs of the Horites, according to their divisions, in the land of Seir.

Rulers of Edom

31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites:

32 Bela son of Beor ruled in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.

33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah ruled in his place.

34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites ruled in his place.

35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad ruled in his place. He defeated Midian in the field of Moab; the name of his city was Avith.

36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah ruled in his place.

37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth-on-the-River ruled in his place.

38 When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor ruled in his place.

39 When Baal-hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar^[i] ruled in his place. His city was Pau, and his wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab.

40 These are the names of Esau's chiefs, according to their families and their localities, by their names: Chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,

42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

43 Magdiel, and Iram. These are Edom's chiefs, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. Esau^[j] was father of the Edomites.

Genesis 36 Commentary

Chapter 36

Esau and his descendants.

- The registers in this chapter show the faithfulness of God to his promise to Abraham. Esau is here called Edom, that name which kept up the remembrance of his selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage. Esau continued the same profane despiser of heavenly things. In outward prosperity and honour, the children of the covenant are often behind, and those that are out of the covenant get the start. We may suppose it a trial to the faith of God's Israel, to hear of the pomp and power of the kings of Edom, while they were bond-slaves in Egypt; but those that look for great things from God, must be content to wait for them; God's time is the best time. Mount Seir is called the land of their possession. Canaan was at this time only the land of promise. Seir was in the possession of the Edomites. The children of this world have their all in hand, and nothing in hope, ( Luke 16:25 ) ; while the children of God have their all in hope, and next to nothing in hand. But, all things considered, it is beyond compare better to have Canaan in promise, than mount Seir in possession.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 25:30
• [b]. Gn 26:34
• [c]. Sam, LXX read Anah son
• [d]. Gn 28:9
• [e]. Dt 2:5
• [f]. Sam, LXX read Anah son
• [g]. Sam omits Korah
• [h]. Syr, Vg; Tg reads the mules; Hb obscure
• [i]. Many Hb mss, Sam, Syr read Hadad
• [j]. Lit He Esau

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 36

This chapter gives us a genealogical account of Esau's family, of his wives and sons, with whom he removed from Seir, Ge 36:1-10; of his sons' sons, or grandsons, who were dukes in the land of Edom, Ge 36:11-19; after which is inserted a genealogy of Seir the Horite, into whose family Esau married, and of his children, and the dukes among them, Ge 36:20-30; then follows a list of the kings of Edom, before there were any in Israel, Ge 36:31-39; and the chapter is closed with a brief narration of the dukes of Esau, according to their families, Ge 36:40-43.