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Texts -- Genesis 36:1-24 (NET)

Context
The Descendants of Esau
36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom ). 36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites : Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite , and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite , 36:3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth . 36:4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau , Basemath bore Reuel , 36:5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush , Jalam , and Korah . These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan . 36:6 Esau took his wives , his sons , his daughters , all the people in his household , his livestock , his animals , and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled was not able to support them because of their livestock . 36:8 So Esau (also known as Edom ) lived in the hill country of Seir . 36:9 This is the account of Esau , the father of the Edomites , in the hill country of Seir . 36:10 These were the names of Esau’s sons : Eliphaz , the son of Esau’s wife Adah , and Reuel , the son of Esau’s wife Basemath . 36:11 The sons of Eliphaz were : Teman , Omar , Zepho , Gatam , and Kenaz . 36:12 Timna , a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz , bore Amalek to Eliphaz . These were the sons of Esau’s wife Adah . 36:13 These were the sons of Reuel : Nahath , Zerah , Shammah , and Mizzah . These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath . 36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon : She bore Jeush , Jalam , and Korah to Esau . 36:15 These were the chiefs among the descendants of Esau , the sons of Eliphaz , Esau’s firstborn : chief Teman , chief Omar , chief Zepho , chief Kenaz , 36:16 chief Korah , chief Gatam , chief Amalek . These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom ; these were the sons of Adah . 36:17 These were the sons of Esau’s son Reuel : chief Nahath , chief Zerah , chief Shammah , chief Mizzah . These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom ; these were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath . 36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah : chief Jeush , chief Jalam , chief Korah . These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah , the daughter of Anah . 36:19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom ), and these were their chiefs . 36:20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite , who were living in the land : Lotan , Shobal , Zibeon , Anah , 36:21 Dishon , Ezer , and Dishan . These were the chiefs of the Horites , the descendants of Seir in the land of Edom . 36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam ; Lotan’s sister was Timna . 36:23 These were the sons of Shobal : Alvan , Manahath , Ebal , Shepho , and Onam . 36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon : Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon ).

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Anah

    [ebd] speech. (1.) One of the sons of Seir, and head of an Idumean tribe, called a Horite, as in course of time all the branches of this tribe were called from their dwelling in caves in Mount Seir (Gen. 36:20, 29; 1 Chr. 1:38). (...
    [isbe] ANAH - a'-na (`anah, meaning uncertain; a Horite clan-name (Gen 36)): (1) Mother of Aholibamah, one of the wives of Esau and daughter of Zibeon (compare Gen 36:2,14,18,25). The Septuagint, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the P...
    [smith] (one who answers), the son of Zibeon and father of Aholibamah, one of Esau?s wives. (Genesis 36:2,14,25) He is supposed to have discovered the "hot springs" (not "mules," as in the Authorized Version) in the desert as he fed ...
    [nave] ANAH 1. Son of Seir, Gen. 36:20, 24, 29; 1 Chr. 1:38. 2. Father in law or mother in law of Esau. An error of copyist, probably, calls him daughter, instead of son, of Zibeon, the Hivite, Gen. 36:2, 14, 24. Called also Beer...

  • Bashemath

    [ebd] sweet-smelling. (1.) The daughter of Ishmael, the last of Esau's three wives (Gen. 36:3, 4, 13), from whose son Reuel four tribes of the Edomites sprung. She is also called Mahalath (Gen. 28:9). It is noticeable that Esau's ...
    [smith] (fragrant, pleasing), daughter of Ishmael, the last married of the three wives of Esau. (Genesis 26:34; 36:3,4,13) (B.C. after 1797.) In (Genesis 28:9) she is called Mahalath.
    [nave] BASHEMATH, wife of Esau, Gen. 26:34; 36:3, 4, 10, 13, 17.

  • Edom

    [ebd] (1.) The name of Esau (q.v.), Gen. 25:30, "Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage [Heb. haadom, haadom, i.e., 'the red pottage, the red pottage'] ...Therefore was his name called Edom", i.e., Red. (2.) Idumea (Isa....
    [nave] EDOM, signifies red. 1. A name of Esau, possibly on account of his being covered with red hair, Gen. 25:25, 30; 36:1, 8, 19. 2. A name of the land occupied by the descendants of Esau. It extended from the Gulf of Aqabah to t...

  • GENESIS, 3

    [isbe] GENESIS, 3 - III. The Structure of the Individual Pericopes. In this division of the article, there is always to be found (under 1) a consideration of the unity of the Biblical text and (under 2) the rejection of the customa...

  • DISHAN; DISHON

    [isbe] DISHAN; DISHON - di'-shan, di'-shon (dishan, dishon, "antelope," "pygarg"): A Horite clan, mentioned as the youngest "son" and elsewhere as the "grandson" of Seir. The form Dishon occurs several times in the list of Horite c...

  • Edomites

    [nave] EDOMITES, called also Edom. Descendants of Esau, Gen. 36. Kings of, Gen. 36:31-39; Num. 20:14; 1 Chr. 1:43-50; Ezek. 32:29; Amos 2:1. Dukes of, Gen. 36:9-43; Ex. 15:15; 1 Chr. 1:51-54. Land of, Gen. 32:3; Deut. 2:4, 5, 12....

  • Esau

    [nave] ESAU Eldest of twin sons born to Isaac and Rebekah. Birth of, Gen. 25:19-26; 1 Chr. 1:34. Called Edom, Gen. 36:1, 8. A hunter, Gen. 25:27, 28. Beloved by Isaac, Gen. 25:27, 28. Sells his birthright for some stew, Gen. 25...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Governor

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. nagid, a prominent, conspicuous person, whatever his capacity: as, chief of the royal palace (2 Chr. 28:7; comp. 1 Kings 4:6), chief of the temple (1 Chr. 9:11; Jer. 20:1), the leader of the Aaronites (1 Chr. 12:27...

  • Genealogy

    [nave] GENEALOGY, Num. 1:18; 2 Chr. 12:15; Ezra 2:59; Neh. 7:5; Heb. 7:3. Of no spiritual significance, Matt. 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:4; Tit. 3:9. From Adam to Noah, Gen. 4:16-22; 5; 1 Chr. 1:1-4; Luke 3:36-38; to Abraham, Gen. 11:10-32; ...

  • GENEALOGY, 8 part 1

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 1 - 8. Principal Genealogies and Lists: In the early genealogies the particular strata to which each has been assigned by reconstructive critics is here indicated by J, the Priestly Code (P), etc. The signs...

  • Duke

    [ebd] derived from the Latin dux, meaning "a leader;" Arabic, "a sheik." This word is used to denote the phylarch or chief of a tribe (Gen. 36:15-43; Ex. 15:15; 1 Chr. 1:51-54).
    [isbe] DUKE - duk: The rendering in the King James Version in Gen 36:15 ff; Ex 15:15, and 1 Ch 1:51 ff of 'alluph (the American Standard Revised Version and the English Revised Version, margin "chief"), and in Josh 13:21 of necikhi...
    [nave] DUKE Title of the princes of Edom, Gen. 36:15-43; Ex. 15:15; 1 Chr. 1:51-54. Of the Midianites, Josh. 13:21.

  • Korah

    [ebd] ice, hail. (1.) The third son of Esau, by Aholibamah (Gen. 36:14; 1 Chr. 1:35). (2.) A Levite, the son of Izhar, the brother of Amram, the father of Moses and Aaron (Ex. 6:21). The institution of the Aaronic priesthood and t...
    [isbe] KORAH - ko'-ra, (~qorach], "baldness," possibly; Kore): (1) One of the 3 sons of Oholibamah, Esau's Hivite wife. The account says that the 3 were born in Canaan before Esau withdrew to the Seir mountain country. They are men...
    [smith] (baldness). Third son of Esau by Aholibamah. (Genesis 36:5,14,18; 1 Chronicles 1:35) He was born in Canaan before Esau migrated to Mount Seir, (Genesis 36:5-9) and was one of the "dukes" of Edom. (B.C. 1790.) Another Edom...
    [nave] KORAH 1. A son of Esau, Gen. 36:5, 14, 18. 2. A Korhite Levite, Ex. 6:18, 21, 24; jealous of Moses, leads two hundred and fifty princes in an insurrection, and is swallowed up in the earth, Num. 16; 26:9, 10; Deut. 11:6; Ps...

  • Seir

    [ebd] rough; hairy. (1.) A Horite; one of the "dukes" of Edom (Gen. 36:20-30). (2.) The name of a mountainous region occupied by the Edomites, extending along the eastern side of the Arabah from the south-eastern extremity of the ...
    [isbe] SEIR - se'-ir: (1) (har se'-ir, "Mt. Seir" (Gen 14:6, etc.), 'erets se`-ir (Gen 32:3, etc.); to oros Seeir, ge Seeir): In Gen 32:3 "the land of Seir" is equated with "the field of Edom." The Mount and the Land of Seir are al...
    [smith] (hairy, Shaggy), We have both "land of Seir," (Genesis 32:3; 36:50) and "Mount Seir." (Genesis 14:6) It is the original name of the mountain range extending along the east side of the valley of Arabah, from the Dead Sea to t...
    [nave] SEIR 1. A range of hills trending southwest from the Dead Sea, Deut. 1:2. Along the route from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea, Deut. 1:1, 2. Children of Israel journey by, Deut. 1:2; 2:1; 33:2. Originally inhabited by Horites, Ge...

  • Judith

    [ebd] Jewess, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and one of Esau's wives (Gen. 26:34), elsewhere called Aholibamah (36:2-14).
    [nave] JUDITH A wife of Esau, Gen. 26:34. Called Aholibamah, Gen. 36:2.

  • Adah

    [ebd] ornament. (1.) The first of Lamech's two wives, and the mother of Jabal and Jubal (Gen. 4:19, 20, 23). (2.) The first of Esau's three wives, the daughter of Elon the Hittite (Gen. 36:2,4), called also Bashemath (26:34).
    [isbe] ADAH - a'-da (`adhah, "adornment"): (1) One of the two wives of Lamech the descendant of Cain (Gen 4:19,20,23). The narrative in Gen assigns to her two sons, Jabal the "father" of tent-dwelling people, and Jubal the "father"...
    [smith] (ornament, beauty). The first of the two wives of Lamech, by whom were borne to him Jabal and Jubal. (Genesis 4:19) (B.C. 3600). A Hittitess, one of the three wives of Esau, mother of Eliphaz. (Genesis 36:2,10,12,16) In (Gen...
    [nave] ADAH 1. Wife of Lamech, Gen. 4:19-23. 2. Wife of Esau, Gen. 36:10-12.

  • Reuel

    [ebd] friend of God. (1.) A son of Esau and Bashemath (Gen. 36:4, 10; 1 Chr. 1:35). (2.) "The priest of Midian," Moses' father-in-law (Ex. 2:18)=Raguel (Num. 10:29). If he be identified with Jethro (q.v.), then this may be regarde...
    [isbe] REUEL - roo'-el (re`u'el, "God is his friend"; the Septuagint Rhagouel): (1) In the genealogical system Reuel is both a son of Esau by Basemath (Gen 36:4,10,13,17; 1 Ch 1:35,37) and the father of the father-in-law of Moses, ...
    [smith] (friend of God) One of the sons of Esau, by his wife Bashemath, sister of Ishmael. (Genesis 36:4,10,13,17; 1 Chronicles 1:36,37) (B.C. about 1790.) One of the names of Moses? father-in-law. (Exodus 2:18) (B.C. 1530.) Fath...
    [nave] REUEL 1. Son of Esau, Gen. 36:4, 10, 13, 17; 1 Chr. 1:35, 37. 2. Father-in-law of Moses, Ex. 2:18. Called also Jethro and Raguel. See: Jethro. 3. Father of Eliasaph, Num. 2:14. Called Deuel, Num. 1:14; 7:42, 47; 10:20. ...

  • Zibeon

    [ebd] robber; or dyed. (1.) A Hivite (Gen. 36:2). (2.) A Horite, and son of Seir (Gen. 36:20).
    [isbe] ZIBEON - zib'-e-on (tsibh`on, "hyena"; HPN, 95; Sebegon): A Horite chief (Gen 36:2,14,20,24,29; 1 Ch 1:38,40); he is called the "Hivite" in Gen 36:2 where "Horite" should be read with 36:20,29. In Gen 36:2,14 Anah is said to...
    [smith] (robber), father of Anah, whose daughter Aholibamah was Esau?s wife. (Genesis 36:2) (B.C. 1797.) Although called a Hivite, he is probably the same as Zibeon the son of Seir the Horite. (Genesis 36:20,24,29; 1 Chronicles 1:...
    [nave] ZIBEON 1. A Hivite, Gen. 36:2, 14. 2. Son of Seir, Gen. 36:20, 24, 29; 1 Chr. 1:38, 40.

  • Eliphaz

    [ebd] God his strength. (1.) One of Job's "three friends" who visited him in his affliction (4:1). He was a "Temanite", i.e., a native of Teman, in Idumea. He first enters into debate with Job. His language is uniformly more delic...
    [smith] (God is his strength). The son of Esau and Adah, and the father of Teman. (Genesis 36:4; 1 Chronicles 1:35,36) The chief of the "three friends" of Job. He is called "the Temanite;" hence it is naturally inferred that he w...
    [nave] ELIPHAZ 1. Son of Esau, Gen. 36:4, 10-16; 1 Chr. 1:35. 2. Friend of Job, Job 2:11; 4; 5; 22; 42:7-9.

  • Jeush

    [ebd] assembler. (1.) The oldest of Esau's three sons by Aholibamah (Gen. 36:5, 14, 18). (2.) A son of Bilhan, grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 7:10). (3.) A Levite, one of the sons of Shimei (1 Chr. 23:10, 11). (4.) One of the three ...
    [isbe] JEUSH - je'-ush (ye`ush, probably "he protects," "he comes to help"; see HPN, 109; Kethibh is ye`ish, in Gen 36:5,14; 1 Ch 7:10): (1) A "son" of Esau (Gen 36:5,14,18; 1 Ch 1:35). "The name is thought by some to be identical ...
    [smith] (assembler). Son of Esau by Aholiabamah the daughter of Anah, the son of Zebeon the Hivite. (Genesis 36:6,14,18; 1 Chronicles 1:35) (B.C. after 1797.) A Benjamite, son of Bilhah. (1 Chronicles 7:10,11) A Gershonite Lev...
    [nave] JEUSH 1. Son of Esau, Gen. 36:5, 14, 18; 1 Chr. 1:35. 2. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 7:10. 3. A Gershonite Levite, 1 Chr. 23:10, 11. 4. Son of Rehoboam, 2 Chr. 11:19.
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Questions

  • They were descendants of Esau. They inhabited a fertile and rich country specially given to them (Deu. 2:5; Gen. 27:39). Their country was traversed by roads though it was mountainous and rocky (Num. 20:17; Jer. 49:16). They ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

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  • The events recorded in Genesis stretch historically from Creation to Joseph's death, a period of at least 2500 years. The first part of the book (ch. 1-11) is not as easy to date precisely as the second part (ch. 12-50). The ...
  • Genesis provides the historical basis for the rest of the Bible and the Pentateuch, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 1-11 give historical background essential to understanding that covenant, and chapters 12-50 re...
  • The structure of Genesis is very clear. The phrase "the generations of"(toledotin Hebrew, from yaladmeaning "to bear, to generate") occurs ten times (really eleven times since 36:9 repeats 36:1), and in each case it introduce...
  • The Lord destroyed the corrupt, violent human race and deluged its world, but He used righteous Noah to preserve life and establish a new world after the Flood."Noah's experience presents decisively the author's assertion tha...
  • "The Babel account (11:1-9) is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on the sad note of human failure. But as with earlier events in Genesis 1-11, God's grace once again supersedes human sin, insu...
  • One of the significant changes in the emphasis that occurs at this point in Genesis is from cursing in the primeval record to blessing in the patriarchal narratives. The Abrahamic Covenant is most important in this respect. H...
  • A major theme of the Pentateuch is the partial fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs. The promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7 are the fountainhead from which the rest of the Pentateuch flows.397Walter Kaiser labeled the ...
  • "These verses are of fundamental importance for the theology of Genesis, for they serve to bind together the primeval history and the later patriarchal history and look beyond it to the subsequent history of the nation."414"W...
  • The second crisis Abram faced arose because of a famine in Canaan. Abram chose to sojourn in the Nile Valley until it was past. In this incident Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister because he feared for his life. By d...
  • Abraham's purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land demonstrated his intention to remain in Canaan rather than going back to his native homeland. Since he was a sojourner in Canaan his friends probably expected him to bu...
  • A new toledotbegins with 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord."625Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment o...
  • Moses included this relatively short genealogy (toledot) in the sacred record to show God's faithfulness in multiplying Abraham's seed as He had promised. He also did so to provide connections with the descendants of Esau ref...
  • Aalders, Gerhard Charles. Genesis. The Bible Student's Commentary series. 2 vols. Translated by William Heynen. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas...
  • Whereas the Israelites had feared the possibility of having to battle the Egyptians (14:10) they now did engage in battle with the Amalekites."The primary function of this section in its present location is the demonstration ...
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  • "In the short pericope 13:7b-15a obedience was the stone on which Saul stumbled; here it is the rock that crushes him."147Chapter 15 records one of the battles Saul had with the Amalekites, Israel's enemy to the south (cf. 14...
  • Really four men came to visit Job, though the writer did not mention Elihu's presence until chapter 32. Eliphaz seems to have been the eldest for several reasons. His name occurs first (2:11; 42:9), he spoke before the others...
  • 105:7-11 God remembered His people (v. 7, cf. v. 42) so His people should remember Him (v. 5). God had been faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 15:18-21; 22:15-18; 28:13-15). He made this covenant with Abraham...
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  • What follows in this chapter is another oracle against a foreign nation (cf. chs. 25-32). What is it doing here? Evidently the writer included this oracle here because it promises to desolate an enemy of Israel that wanted to...
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