Genesis 36:1-8

New English Translation

The Descendants of Esau

36 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom).^[a]

²Esau took his wives from the Canaanites:^[b] Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter^[c] of Zibeon the Hivite, ³in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

⁴Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, ⁵and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

⁶Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and he went to a land some distance away from^[d] Jacob his brother ⁷because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together, and the land where they had settled^[e] was not able to support them because of their livestock. ⁸So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir.^[f]

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Footnotes

Genesis 36:1 sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50, ” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.
Genesis 36:2 tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”
Genesis 36:2 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
Genesis 36:6 tn Heb “from before.”
Genesis 36:7 tn Heb “land of their settlements.”
Genesis 36:8 tn Traditionally “Mount Seir,” but in this case the expression בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר (b^ehar seʿir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.

Genesis 36:1-8

King James Version

36 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

²Esau 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;

³And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth.

⁴And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;

⁵And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

⁶And 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.

⁷For 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.

⁸Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

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Genesis 36:1-8

New King James Version

The Family of Esau^(A)

36 Now this is the genealogy of Esau, ^(B)who is Edom. ²^(C)Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the ^(D)Hittite; ^(E)Aholibamah^[a] the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; ³and ^(F)Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. ⁴Now ^(G)Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. ⁵And ^[b]Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

⁶Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. ⁷^(H)For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and ^(I)the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. ⁸So Esau dwelt in ^(J)Mount Seir. ^(K)Esau is Edom.