Footnotes

1. Genesis 36:1 The author has grouped together—without attempting to harmonize them in any way—teachings of diverse origins concerning the Edomites, that is, the line of Esau (v. 9ff) and the clans of the region of Seir that it occupied (v. 20ff). Deuteronomy affirms that the descendants of Esau replaced the indigenous peoples (Deut 2:12); rather both peoples seem to have been joined together: Esau marries a Horite (36:20) and one of his sons takes a concubine (vv. 12, 22). The Priestly tradition gave other names to the women of Esau (Gen 26:34; 28:9; see 36:1-5); it does this to explain in a different way the separation of Jacob and his brother (36:7; see Gen 33:12-17). But all these divergences are of little importance: it is solely a question of situating a fraternal people with respect to the people of Israel whom God has set apart for the salvation of humankind.