Genesis36
New King James Version
1 Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom.
2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;
3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth.
4 Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel.
5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were 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 the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob.
7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock.
8 So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom.
9 And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir.
10 These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau.
11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife.
13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife.
14 These were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah.
15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz,
16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the sons of Adah.
17 These were the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife.
18 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who descended from Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah.
19 These were the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their chiefs.
20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom.
22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was Timna.
23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24 These were the sons of Zibeon: both Ajah and Anah. This was the Anah who found the water in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon.
25 These were the children of Anah: Dishon and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
26 These were the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah,
30 Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, and Chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir.
31 Now these were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel:
32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33 And when Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place.
34 When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
35 And when Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who attacked Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith.
36 When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.
37 And when Samlah died, Saul of Rehoboth-by-the-River reigned in his place.
38 When Saul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
39 And when Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadar reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
40 And these were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families and their places, by their names: Chief Timnah, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth,
41 Chief Aholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon,
42 Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar,
43 Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. Esau was the father of the Edomites.
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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