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¹ Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.
² Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;
³ And Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth.
⁴ And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;
⁵ And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.
⁶ And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
⁷ For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle.
⁸ Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
⁹ And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:
¹⁰ These are the names of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.
¹¹ And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.
¹² And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife.
¹³ And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.
¹⁴ And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.
¹⁵ These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,
¹⁶ Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.
¹⁷ And these are the sons of Reuel Esau’s son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.
¹⁸ And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau’s wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife.
¹⁹ These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.
²⁰ These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,
²¹ And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.
²² And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna.
²³ And the children of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
²⁴ And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.
²⁵ And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
²⁶ And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
²⁷ The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan.
²⁸ The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.
²⁹ These are the dukes that came of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah,
³⁰ Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.
³¹ And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
³² And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
³³ And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
³⁴ And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead.
³⁵ And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.
³⁶ And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.
³⁷ And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.
³⁸ And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
³⁹ And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
⁴⁰ And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth,
⁴¹ Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
⁴² Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,
⁴³ Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.
🌄 The Line of Esau: A Nation Formed in the Mountains of Seir 🌄
“These are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.” – Genesis 36:1
Genesis 36 may read like a genealogy list at first glance, but it is far more than that. It documents the rise of Esau’s descendants and the formation of the Edomite nation. This chapter offers deep insight into how God fulfills His word even to those outside the covenant line. Although Esau did not inherit the birthright or blessing, the Lord still prospered him, giving him kings and chiefs long before Israel had them. This chapter reminds us that God’s sovereignty extends beyond what we can see or expect.
📜 Structure of Genesis Chapter 36
Verses 1–5: Esau’s Immediate Family
Esau took wives from the daughters of Canaan—Adah, Aholibamah, and Bashemath—and had sons: Eliphaz, Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These children form the roots of powerful clans. Though Esau’s choices in marriage grieved Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34–35), God still multiplied his lineage.
Verses 6–8: Esau Moves to Seir
Esau departs from Canaan and settles in Mount Seir, separating from Jacob because their wealth was too great to dwell together. This recalls Genesis 13:6, where Abraham and Lot also had to part ways due to abundant possessions. The Edomites’ homeland was thus established outside the Promised Land, fulfilling God’s providence yet apart from the covenant promise.
Verses 9–14: The Sons of Esau
The chapter emphasizes Esau’s descendants, not just his sons but grandsons and great-grandsons—forming chiefs of tribes. Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn, fathered Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. His concubine, Timna, bore Amalek, whose descendants would become fierce enemies of Israel (Exodus 17:8).
Verses 15–19: The Dukes of Esau’s Sons
The chiefs, or “dukes,” from Esau’s sons show the growth of a structured society. Leadership and authority had developed within Edom long before Israel’s twelve tribes were fully formed. These verses demonstrate that God allowed Esau to become a great nation, as promised in Genesis 25:23 and Genesis 27:39–40.
Verses 20–30: The Horites and Chiefs of Seir
Before Esau’s people, the Horites lived in Seir. This section details their leaders, like Lotan, Shobal, and Zibeon, whose daughter Timna married into Esau’s line. God’s orchestration of nations and intermarriage shows His sovereign hand in history and the rise and fall of peoples.
Verses 31–39: Kings in Edom Before Israel Had a King
Remarkably, Edom had kings before any were crowned in Israel. This premonition contrasts with Deuteronomy 17:14–15, where God warns Israel about desiring kings like other nations. Edom’s early monarchy foreshadows Israel’s coming struggles with human leadership.
Verses 40–43: Final List of Chiefs
The chapter closes by naming additional chiefs descended from Esau. These final verses seal the reality of a thriving nation, full of governance and tribal authority—yet spiritually apart from the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
💡 Key Themes
✨ God’s Faithfulness to His Word
God kept His word to make Esau a great nation (Genesis 25:23). Even though the covenant line ran through Jacob, Esau still received a measure of blessing and growth.
✨ Separation with Purpose
Esau and Jacob parted ways peacefully. God’s design required them to dwell apart, showing that peace does not always mean closeness. Some relationships, even familial, are better sustained with distance.
✨ Nations Rise by God’s Sovereign Hand
Edom flourished early, long before Israel reached similar stature. But what appears first is not always what lasts. Edom’s rise was real, but its destiny was not tied to the covenant blessings of God.
👤 Key People
- Esau (Edom) – Father of the Edomites; though not the covenant bearer, he became the father of a mighty nation.
- Eliphaz & Amalek – Eliphaz, Esau’s son, fathered Amalek, whose descendants would constantly war against Israel.
- Timna – A Horite concubine whose lineage would intertwine with Esau’s and influence future enmity.
🔥 Why This Chapter Matters
Though many skim over genealogies, Genesis 36 is a powerful reminder of God’s justice and providence. God honors His word, even toward those who are not part of His covenant people. It challenges us to consider what kind of legacy we’re leaving—not just in name, but in spiritual impact.
💭 Let’s Reflect
- Are you building your life like Esau—successful by the world’s standards but outside of God’s covenant blessings?
- How can you recognize God’s hand even in the lives of those outside your faith community?
- What legacy are you leaving behind—not just materially, but spiritually?
❓Ready to Go Deeper?
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