Genesis 36

The Family Line of Esau

1 Here is the story of Esau. Esau was also called Edom.
2 Esau got his wives from among the women of Canaan. He married Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. He also married Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite.
3 And he married Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael and the sister of Nebaioth.
4 Adah had Eliphaz by Esau. Basemath had Reuel.
5 Oholibamah had Jeush, Jalam and Korah. All of them were Esau's sons. They were born in Canaan.
6 Esau moved to a land far away from his brother Jacob. He took with him his wives, his sons and daughters, and all of the people who lived with him. He also took his livestock and all of his other animals. He took everything he had gotten in Canaan.
7 Jacob and Esau owned so much that they couldn't remain together. There wasn't enough land for both of them. They had too much livestock.
8 So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. Esau was also called Edom.
9 Here is the story of Esau. He's the father of the people of Edom. They live in the hill country of Seir.
10 Here are the names of Esau's sons. They are Eliphaz, the son of Esau's wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau's wife Basemath.
11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz.
12 Esau's son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna. She had Amalek by Eliphaz. They were grandsons of Esau's wife Adah.
13 The sons of Reuel were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. They were grandsons of Esau's wife Basemath.
14 Esau's wife Oholibamah was the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon. She had Jeush, Jalam and Korah by Esau.
15 Here are the chiefs who were among Esau's sons. Eliphaz was Esau's oldest son. The sons of Eliphaz were Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,
16 Korah, Gatam and Amalek. They were the chiefs in Edom who were sons of Eliphaz. They were Adah's grandsons.
17 The sons of Esau's son Reuel were Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. They were the chiefs in Edom who were sons of Reuel. They were grandsons of Esau's wife Basemath.
18 The sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah were Chiefs Jeush, Jalam and Korah. They were the chiefs who were sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah. She was Anah's daughter.
19 That was the family line of Esau. And those were the chiefs. Esau was also called Edom.
20 Seir the Horite had sons living in the same area. They were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
21 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. The sons of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs.
22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan's sister.
23 The sons of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam.
24 The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. He was the Anah who discovered the hot springs of water in the desert. He found them while he was taking care of the donkeys that belonged to his father Zibeon.
25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Oholibamah. Oholibamah was the daughter of Anah.
26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.
27 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan.
28 The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran.
29 The Horite chiefs were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
30 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. They were the Horite chiefs in the land of Seir. They are listed tribe by tribe.

The Rulers of Edom

31 Before Israel had a king, there were kings who ruled in Edom.
32 Bela became the king of Edom. Bela was the son of Beor. Bela's city was called Dinhabah.
33 When Bela died, Jobab became the next king. Jobab was the son of Zerah from Bozrah.
34 When Jobab died, Husham became the next king. Husham was from the land of the Temanites.
35 When Husham died, Hadad became the next king. Hadad was the son of Bedad. Hadad had won the battle over Midian in the country of Moab. Hadad's city was called Avith.
36 When Hadad died, Samlah became the next king. Samlah was from Masrekah.
37 When Samlah died, Shaul became the next king. Shaul was from Rehoboth on the river.
38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan became the next king. Baal-Hanan was the son of Acbor.
39 When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad became the next king. Hadad's city was called Pau. His wife's name was Mehetabel. She was the daughter of Matred. Matred was the daughter of Me-Zahab.
40 Here are the chiefs who were in the family line of Esau. They are listed by name as chiefs in charge of their tribes and territories. They are Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,
41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,
42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,
43 Magdiel and Iram. They were the chiefs of Edom. They ruled over their settlements in the land where they lived. That's the end of the story of Esau. He was the father of the people of Edom.

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.

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

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