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Texts -- Genesis 36:1-27 (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 ). 36:25 These were the children of Anah : Dishon and Oholibamah , the daughter of Anah . 36:26 These were the sons of Dishon : Hemdan , Eshban , Ithran , and Keran . 36:27 These were the sons of Ezer : Bilhan , Zaavan , and Akan .

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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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, 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.

  • 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...

  • 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; ...

  • 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...

  • 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....

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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. ...

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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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  • 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...
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