Genesis36
New Living Translation
1This is the account of the descendants of Esau (also known as Edom).
2Esau married two young women from Canaan: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite.
3He also married his cousin Basemath, who was the daughter of Ishmael and the sister of Nebaioth.
4Adah gave birth to a son named Eliphaz for Esau. Basemath gave birth to a son named Reuel.
5Oholibamah gave birth to sons named Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. All these sons were born to Esau in the land of Canaan.
6Esau took his wives, his children, and his entire household, along with his livestock and cattle—all the wealth he had acquired in the land of Canaan—and moved away from his brother, Jacob.
7There was not enough land to support them both because of all the livestock and possessions they had acquired.
8So Esau (also known as Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir.
9This is the account of Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, who lived in the hill country of Seir.
10These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah; and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
11The descendants of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12Timna, the concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, gave birth to a son named Amalek. These are the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.
13The descendants of Reuel were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the descendants of Esau’s wife Basemath.
14Esau also had sons through Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon. Their names were Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
15These are the descendants of Esau who became the leaders of various clans: The descendants of Esau’s oldest son, Eliphaz, became the leaders of the clans of Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,
16Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These are the clan leaders in the land of Edom who descended from Eliphaz. All these were descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.
17The descendants of Esau’s son Reuel became the leaders of the clans of Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the clan leaders in the land of Edom who descended from Reuel. All these were descendants of Esau’s wife Basemath.
18The descendants of Esau and his wife Oholibamah became the leaders of the clans of Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the clan leaders who descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
19These are the clans descended from Esau (also known as Edom), identified by their clan leaders.
20These are the names of the tribes that descended from Seir the Horite. They lived in the land of Edom: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
21Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the Horite clan leaders, the descendants of Seir, who lived in the land of Edom.
22The descendants of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was named Timna.
23The descendants of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24The descendants of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. (This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the wilderness while he was grazing his father’s donkeys.)
25The descendants of Anah were his son, Dishon, and his daughter, Oholibamah.
26The descendants of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
27The descendants of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28The descendants of Dishan were Uz and Aran.
29So these were the leaders of the Horite clans: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
30Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. The Horite clans are named after their clan leaders, who lived in the land of Seir.
31These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites:
32Bela son of Beor, who ruled in Edom from his city of Dinhabah.
33When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah became king in his place.
34When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites became king in his place.
35When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad became king in his place and ruled from the city of Avith. He was the one who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab.
36When Hadad died, Samlah from the city of Masrekah became king in his place.
37When Samlah died, Shaul from the city of Rehoboth-on-the-River became king in his place.
38When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Acbor became king in his place.
39When Baal-hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king in his place and ruled from the city of Pau. His wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Me-zahab.
40These are the names of the leaders of the clans descended from Esau, who lived in the places named for them: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,
41Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,
42Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,
43Magdiel, and Iram. These are the leaders of the clans of Edom, listed according to their settlements in the land they occupied. They all descended from Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 36.
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