Table of Contents
- 1 The Descendants of Esau in Canaan (Genesis 36:1-5)
- 2 Esau Moves to Seir (Genesis 36:6-8)
- 3 The Sons of Esau Listed by Their Mothers (Genesis 36:9-14)
- 4 The Chiefs of Esau’s Descendants (Genesis 36:15-19)
- 5 The Inhabitants of Seir Before Esau (Genesis 36:20-30)
- 6 Kings of Edom Before Israel Had Kings (Genesis 36:31-39)
- 7 Chiefs of Esau by Families and Locations (Genesis 36:40-43)
The Descendants of Esau in Canaan (Genesis 36:1-5)
Genesis 36 begins by listing the generations of Esau, who is also called Edom (Genesis 36:1). Esau’s wives are named:
- Adah, daughter of Elon the Hittite
- Aholibamah, daughter of Anah, granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite
- Bashemath, daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebajoth
Esau’s sons born in Canaan are:
- Eliphaz by Adah
- Reuel by Bashemath
- Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah by Aholibamah (Genesis 36:4-5)
Esau Moves to Seir (Genesis 36:6-8)
Esau takes his wives, sons, daughters, servants, livestock, and goods, and moves from the land of Canaan to the country of Seir (Genesis 36:6). The reason is that he and Jacob have too many possessions to dwell together, and the land cannot sustain both of them (Genesis 36:7), much like Abraham and Lot in Genesis 13:6. Esau settles in Mount Seir; Esau is Edom (Genesis 36:8).
The Sons of Esau Listed by Their Mothers (Genesis 36:9-14)
The chapter repeats that these are the generations of Esau, father of the Edomites in Mount Seir (Genesis 36:9). His sons are detailed by their mothers:
- Eliphaz, son of Adah: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz; and by his concubine Timna, Amalek (Genesis 36:10-12)
- Reuel, son of Bashemath: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah (Genesis 36:13)
- Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah, sons of Aholibamah (Genesis 36:14)
The Chiefs of Esau’s Descendants (Genesis 36:15-19)
Esau’s descendants become tribal leaders or “dukes” (chiefs). From Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, Korah, Gatam, Amalek (Genesis 36:15-16). From Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, Mizzah (Genesis 36:17). From Aholibamah: Jeush, Jaalam, Korah (Genesis 36:18). These are the chiefs of Edom according to their families and dwellings (Genesis 36:19).
The Inhabitants of Seir Before Esau (Genesis 36:20-30)
The chapter lists the Horites, the original inhabitants of Seir, who were integrated into Edom’s history:
- Sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, Dishan (Genesis 36:20)
- Lotan’s children: Hori, Hemam (Genesis 36:22)
- Shobal’s children: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, Onam (Genesis 36:23)
- Zibeon’s children: Ajah and Anah (Genesis 36:24), the latter known for finding hot springs in the wilderness.
- Anah’s children: Dishon and Aholibamah (Genesis 36:25)
- Dishon’s children: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, Cheran (Genesis 36:26)
- Ezer’s children: Bilhan, Zaavan, Akan (Genesis 36:27)
- Dishan’s children: Uz, Aran (Genesis 36:28)
The Horite chiefs are then listed, showing a structured tribal leadership before Esau’s dominance (Genesis 36:29-30).
Kings of Edom Before Israel Had Kings (Genesis 36:31-39)
The text notes that these kings ruled in Edom before any king reigned in Israel (Genesis 36:31), showing Edom’s political organization predated Israel’s monarchy. The kings are:
- Bela son of Beor (Genesis 36:32)
- Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah (Genesis 36:33)
- Husham of the land of the Temanites (Genesis 36:34)
- Hadad son of Bedad, who smote Midian in Moab (Genesis 36:35)
- Samlah of Masrekah (Genesis 36:36)
- Saul of Rehoboth by the river (Genesis 36:37)
- Baal-hanan son of Achbor (Genesis 36:38)
- Hadar, whose wife was Mehetabel (Genesis 36:39)
Chiefs of Esau by Families and Locations (Genesis 36:40-43)
The final section lists the chiefs of Esau according to their families and dwelling places: Timnah, Alvah, Jetheth, Aholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel, and Iram (Genesis 36:40-43). These names represent the permanent tribal structure of Edom. The chapter closes with: “he is Esau the father of the Edomites.”