Genesis 36

1 This is the family history of Esau (also called Edom).
2 Esau married women from the land of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Oholibamah daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon the Hivite;
3 and Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.
4 Adah gave birth to Eliphaz for Esau. Basemath gave him Reuel,
5 and Oholibamah gave him Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were Esau's sons who were born in the land of Canaan.
6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the people who lived with him, his herds and other animals, and all the belongings he had gotten in Canaan, and he went to a land away from his brother Jacob.
7 Esau's and Jacob's belongings were becoming too many for them to live in the same land. The land where they had lived could not support both of them, because they had too many herds.
8 So Esau lived in the mountains of Edom. (Esau is also named Edom.)
9 This is the family history of Esau. He is the ancestor of the Edomites, who live in the mountains of Edom.
10 Esau's sons were Eliphaz, son of Adah and Esau, and Reuel, son of Basemath and Esau.
11 Eliphaz had five sons: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 Eliphaz also had a slave woman named Timna, and Timna and Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek. These were Esau's grandsons by his wife Adah.
13 Reuel had four sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were Esau's grandsons by his wife Basemath.
14 Esau's third wife was Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. (Anah was the son of Zibeon.) Esau and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
15 These were the leaders that came from Esau: Esau's first son was Eliphaz. From him came these leaders: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,
16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These were the leaders that came from Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Adah.
17 Esau's son Reuel was the father of these leaders: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the leaders that came from Reuel in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Esau's wife Basemath.
18 Esau's wife Oholibamah gave birth to these leaders: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the leaders that came from Esau's wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah.
19 These were the sons of Esau (also called Edom), and these were their leaders.
20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These sons of Seir were the leaders of the Horites in Edom.
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. Anah is the man who found the hot springs in the desert while he was caring for his father's donkeys.
25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Oholibamah 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 These were the names of the Horite leaders: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These men were the leaders of the Horite families who lived in the land of Edom.
31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before the Israelites ever had a king:
32 Bela son of Beor was the king of Edom. He came from the city of Dinhabah.
33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah became king. Jobab was from Bozrah.
34 When Jobab died, Husham became king. He was from the land of the Temanites.
35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who had defeated Midian in the country of Moab, became king. Hadad was from the city of Avith.
36 When Hadad died, Samlah became king. He was from Masrekah.
37 When Samlah died, Shaul became king. He was from Rehoboth on the Euphrates River.
38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor became king.
39 When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king. He was from the city of Pau. His wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab.
40 These Edomite leaders, listed by their families and regions, came from Esau. Their names were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,
41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,
42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,
43 Magdiel, and Iram. They were the leaders of Edom. (Esau was the father of the Edomites.) The area where each of these families lived was named after that family.

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

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.