Genesis 36

The Descendants of Esau

1 Now these [are] the descendants of Esau (that [is], Edom).
2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah, daughter of Elon, the Hittite, and Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, the Hivite,
3 and Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael, the sister of Nebaioth.
4 And Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz; and Basemath bore Reuel;
5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam, and Korah. These [are] the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
6 And Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters, and all the persons of his household, and his sheep and goats, and all his cattle, and all the goods that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to a land away from his brother Jacob.
7 For their possessions were {too many to live together}, so that the land of their sojourning was not able to support them on account of their livestock.
8 So Esau dwelled in the hill country of Seir (Esau, that [is] Edom).
9 Now these [are] the descendants of Esau, the father of Edom, in the hill country of Seir.
10 These [are] the names of the sons of Esau: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau; Reuel, the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau.
11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 (Now Timnah was the concubine of Eliphaz, the son of Esau. And she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.) These [are] the sons of Adah, the wife of Esau.
13 Now these [are] the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These [are] the sons of Basemath, the wife of Esau.
14 Now these [are] the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon, the wife of Esau: She bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
15 These [are] the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau: the chiefs of Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,
16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These [are] the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These [are] the sons of Adah.
17 Now these [are] the sons Reuel, the son of Esau: the chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These [are] the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These [are] the sons of Basemath, the wife of Esau.
18 Now these [are] the sons of Oholibamah, the wife of Esau: the chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These [are] the chiefs born of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the wife of Esau.
19 These [are] the sons of Esau, and these [are] their chiefs (that [is], Edom).
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 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. And Lotan's sister [was] Timna.
23 Now these [are] the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24 Now these [are] the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah--he [is] Anah who found the hot springs in the desert while he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father.
25 Now these [are] the sons of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
26 Now these [are] the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
27 These [are] the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28 These [are] the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
29 These [are] the chiefs of the Horites: the chiefs Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These [are] the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir.

The Kings of Edom

31 Now these [are] the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the {Israelites}.
32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom. And the name of his city [was] Dinhabah.
33 And Bela died, and Jobab, the son of Zerah from Bozrah, reigned in his place.
34 And Jobab died, and Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
35 And Husham died, and Hadad, son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab reigned in his place. And the name of his city [was] Avith.
36 And Hadad died, and Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
37 And Samlah died, and Shaul from Rehoboth [on] the Euphrates reigned in his place.
38 And Shaul died, and Baal-Hanan, the son of Acbor, reigned in his place.
39 And Baal-Hanan the son of Acbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place. And the name of his city [was] Pau, and the name of his wife [was] Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.
40 Now these [are] the names of the chiefs of Esau according to their families, according to their dwelling places, by their names: the chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,
41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,
42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,
43 Magdiel, and Iram. These [are] the chiefs of Edom (that [is], Esau, the father of Edom) according to their settlements in the land of their possession.

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 4

  • [a]. Literally "much from living together"
  • [b]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [c]. Or "country"
  • [d]. Or "the River"

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.

Genesis 36 Commentaries

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.