Text -- Genesis 36:17-43 (NET)

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. 36:28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 36:29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 36:30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir. 36:31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites: 36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah. 36:33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place. 36:34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 36:35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place; the name of his city was Avith. 36:36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place. 36:37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River reigned in his place. 36:38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 36:39 When Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab. 36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 36:41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 36:42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 36:43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Gen 36:17

¹ tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).

NET Notes: Gen 36:20

¹ sn The same pattern of sons, grandsons, and chiefs is now listed for Seir the Horite. “Seir” is both the name of the place and the name of the ancestor of these tribes. The name “Horite” is probably not to be identified with “Hurrian.” The clan of Esau settled in this area, intermarried with these Horites and eventually dispossessed them, so that they all became known as Edomites (Deut 2:12 telescopes the whole development).

NET Notes: Gen 36:21

¹ tn Or “sons.”

NET Notes: Gen 36:22

¹ tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”

NET Notes: Gen 36:23

¹ tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.

NET Notes: Gen 36:24

¹ tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”

NET Notes: Gen 36:25

¹ tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”

NET Notes: Gen 36:26

¹ tn Heb “Dishan,” but this must be either a scribal error or variant spelling, since “Dishan” is mentioned in v. 28 (see also v. 21).

NET Notes: Gen 36:31

¹ tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”

NET Notes: Gen 36:37

¹ tn Typically the Hebrew expression “the River” refers to the Euphrates River, but it is not certain whether that is the case here. Among the modern English versions which take this as a reference to the Euphrates are NASB, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT. Cf. NAB, TEV “Rehoboth-on-the-River.”

NET Notes: Gen 36:39

¹ tc Most mss of the MT read “Hadar” here; “Hadad” is the reading found in some Hebrew mss, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and Syriac (cf. also 1 Chr 1:50).

² tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.

NET Notes: Gen 36:43

¹ tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”