Genesis36
New American Standard
1 Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).
2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite;
3 also Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.
4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath gave birth to Reuel,
5 and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all his household, and his livestock and all his cattle, and all his property which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob.
7 For their possessions had become too great for them to live together, and the land where they resided could not support them because of their livestock.
8 So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom.
9 These then are the records of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.
10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: 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 Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These are the sons of Esau’s wife Adah.
13 And these are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
14 And these were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the granddaughter of Zibeon: 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, are chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,
16 chief Korah, chief Gatam, and chief Amalek. These are the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah.
17 And these are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, and chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
18 And these are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, and chief Korah. These are the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
19 These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.
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 descended from 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 And these are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24 And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah—he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness when he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon.
25 And these are the children of Anah: Dishon, and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
26 And these are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
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 descended from the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah,
30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, and chief Dishan. These are the chiefs descended from the Horites, according to their various chiefs in the land of Seir.
31 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the sons of Israel.
32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33 Then Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place.
34 Then Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites became king in his place.
35 Then Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, became king in his place; and the name of his city was Avith.
36 Then Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah became king in his place.
37 Then Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates River became king in his place.
38 Then Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor became king in his place.
39 Then Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar became king in his place; and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.
40 Now these are the names of the chiefs descended from Esau, according to their families and their localities, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth,
41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon,
42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar,
43 chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of the Edomites), according to their settlements in the land of their possession.
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Genesis 36Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 36. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Esau and his descendants. (1-43).
vv1-43
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, Lu 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.
Key Words
תּוֹלְדָה: (plural only) descent, i.e. family; (figuratively) history
עֵשָׂו: Esav, a son of Isaac, including his posterity
אֱדֹם: Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
אִשָּׁה: a woman
עָדָה: Adah, the name of two women
בַּת: a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
אֵילוֹן: Elon, the name of a place in Palestine, and also of one Hittite, two Israelites
חִתִּי: a Chittite, or descendant of Cheth
אׇהֳלִיבָמָה: Oholibamah, a wife of Esau
Cross References
Genesis 36Joshua notes God gave Mount Seir to Esau for his possession, matching Esau dwelling there.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses records that God gave Mount Seir to Esau for a possession, confirming the narrative.
Supported by JFB
Israel is commanded not to abhor an Edomite, because he is a brother.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Provides the initial names of Esau's Hittite and Hivite wives, reconciling genealogical differences.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Records Esau marrying Mahalath (Bashemath), Ishmael's daughter and sister of Nebajoth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
God declares He laid Esau's mountains waste, contrasting with Jacob's inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Introduces Amalek, son of Eliphaz, whose descendants became Israel's perpetual enemies starting at Rephidim.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explains why Esau is called Edom, referencing the red pottage for which he sold his birthright.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel separation of Abraham and Lot due to their vast possessions, similar to Jacob and Esau.
Supported by John Calvin
Eliphaz the Temanite, Job's friend, descended from Esau's firstborn Eliphaz and his son Teman.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Balaam prophesies that Edom shall be a possession, and Amalek's end shall be destruction.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explains how the descendants of Esau destroyed and succeeded the Horites of Seir.
Supported by JFB
The parallel genealogical register of Esau's sons in the Chronicles.
Supported by John Calvin
God promised kings would come from Jacob, yet Edom had kings first, testing Israel's faith.
Supported by John Calvin