Genesis 36

1 Now these [are] the generations of Esau, who [is] Edom.
2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;
3 And Bashemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth.
4 And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; and Bashemath bore Reuel;
5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, and Jaalam, 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 house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance which he had acquired in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell together: and the land wherein they were strangers could not sustain them, because of their cattle.
8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau [is] Edom.
9 And these [are] the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites, in mount Seir:
10 These [are] the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.
11 And the sons of Eliphaz were, Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek: these [were] the sons of Adah Esau's wife.
13 And these [are] the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.
14 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon Esau's wife: and she bore to Esau, Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.
15 These [were] dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the first-born [son] of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,
16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, [and] duke Amalek: these [are] the dukes, [descendants] of Eliphaz, in the land of Edom: these [were] the sons of Adah.
17 And these [are] the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these [are] the dukes, [descendants] of Reuel, in the land of Edom: these [are] the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.
18 And these [are] the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these [were] the dukes, [descendants] of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah Esau's wife.
19 These [are] the sons of Esau (who [is] Edom) and these [are] their dukes.
20 These [are] the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah.
21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these [are] the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.
22 And the children of Lotan were Hori, and Heman: and Lotan's sister [was] Timna.
23 And the children of Shobal [were] these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24 And these [are] the children of Zibeon; both Ajah and Anah; this [was that] Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.
25 And the children of Anah [were] these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
26 And these [are] the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
27 The children of Ezer [are] these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Achan.
28 The children of Dishan [are] these; Uz, and Aran.
29 These [are] the dukes, [descendants] of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah,
30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan; these [are] the dukes, [descendants] of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.
31 And these [are] the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
32 And 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 of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead.
35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad (who smote Midian in the field of Moab) reigned in his stead: and the name of his city [was] Avith.
36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.
37 And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth [by] the river reigned in his stead.
38 And Saul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
39 And Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead; and the name of his city [was] Pau; and his wife's name [was] Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
40 And these [are] the names of the dukes, [descendants] of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth,
41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar.
43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram; these [are] the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations, in the land of their possession: he [is] Esau the 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.

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

The Webster Bible is in the public domain.