Genesis 36
New English Translation
The Descendants of Esau
36 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom).[a]
2 Esau 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, 3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
6 Esau 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 7 because 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. 8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir.[f]
9 This is the account of Esau, the father[g] of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.
10 These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
11 These were the sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons[h] of Esau’s wife Adah.
13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons[i] of Esau’s wife Basemath.
14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter[j] of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.
15 These were the chiefs[k] among the descendants[l] of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 chief Korah,[m] chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons[n] of Adah.
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[o] of Esau’s wife Basemath.
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.
19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.
20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite,[p] who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants[q] of Seir in the land of Edom.
22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam;[r] Lotan’s sister was Timna.
23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho,[s] and Onam.
24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs[t] in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).
25 These were the children[u] of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
26 These were the sons of Dishon:[v] Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir.
31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites:[w]
32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
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 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the River[x] reigned in his place.
38 When Shaul died, Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
39 When Baal Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad[y] reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau.[z] His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
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, 41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements[aa] in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.
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 (behar seʿir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.
- Genesis 36:9 sn The term father in genealogical records needs to be carefully defined. It can refer to a literal father, a grandfather, a political overlord, or a founder.
- Genesis 36:12 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
- Genesis 36:13 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
- Genesis 36:14 tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.
- Genesis 36:15 tn Or “clan leaders” (so also throughout this chapter).
- Genesis 36:15 tn Or “sons.”
- Genesis 36:16 tc Smr omits the name “Korah” (see v. 11 and 1 Chr 1:36).
- Genesis 36:16 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
- Genesis 36:17 tn Or “grandsons” (NIV); “descendants” (NEB).
- Genesis 36:20 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).
- Genesis 36:21 tn Or “sons.”
- Genesis 36:22 tn Heb “Hemam”; this is probably a variant spelling of “Homam” (1 Chr 1:39); cf. NRSV, NLT “Heman.”
- Genesis 36:23 tn This name is given as “Shephi” in 1 Chr 1:40.
- Genesis 36:24 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain; Syriac reads “water” and Vulgate reads “hot water.”
- Genesis 36:25 tn Heb “sons,” but since a daughter is included in the list, the word must be translated “children.”
- Genesis 36:26 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).
- Genesis 36:31 tn Or perhaps “before any Israelite king ruled over [them].”
- Genesis 36:37 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.”
- Genesis 36:39 tc Most mss of the MT read “Hadar” here; “Hadad” is the reading found in some Hebrew mss, Smr, and Syriac (cf. also 1 Chr 1:50).
- Genesis 36:39 tn The name of the city is given as “Pai” in 1 Chr 1:50.
- Genesis 36:43 tn Or perhaps “territories”; Heb “dwelling places.”
Bereshis 36
Orthodox Jewish Bible
36 Now these are the toldot Esav, who is Edom.
2 Esav took his nashim of the Banot Kena’an: Adah Bat Elon the Chitti, and Oholivamah Bat Anah Bat Tziveon the Chivvi;
3 And Basemat Bat Yishma’el, achot Nevayot.
4 And Adah bore to Esav Eliphaz; and Basemat bore Reuel;
5 And Oholivamah bore Yeush, and Ya’alam, and Korach; these are the Bnei Esav, which were born unto him in Eretz Kena’an.
6 And Esav took his nashim, and his banim, and his banot, and kol nafshot of his bais, and his mikneh, and all his behemah, and all his possessions, which he had acquired in Eretz Kena’an; and went into the eretz from the face of Ya’akov achiv.
7 For their wealth was more than that they might dwell together; and the eretz of their sojourns could not support them because of their mikneh.
8 Thus dwelt Esav in har Seir; Esav is Edom.
9 And these are the toldot Esav avi Edom in har Seir:
10 These are the shemot Bnei Esav; Eliphaz Ben Adah eshet Esav, Reuel Ben Basemat eshet Esav.
11 And the Bnei Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Tzepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 And Timna was pilegesh (concubine) to Eliphaz Ben Esav; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek; these were the Bnei Adah eshet Esav.
13 And these are the Bnei Reuel: Nachat, and Zerach, Shammah, and Mizzah; these were the Bnei Basemat eshet Esav.
14 And these were the Bnei Oholivamah Bat Anah Bat Tziveon, eshet Esav: and she bore to Esav Yeush, and Yaalam, and Korach.
15 These were alufei (chiefs) of the Bnei Esav: the Bnei Eliphaz the bechor Esav; aluf (chief) Teman, aluf Omar, aluf Tzepho, aluf Kenaz,
16 Aluf (chief) Korach, aluf (chief) Gatam, and aluf (chief) Amalek; these are the alufei Eliphaz in Eretz Edom; these were the Bnei Adah.
17 And these are the Bnei Reuel Ben Esav: aluf (chief) Nachat, aluf Zerach, aluf Shammah, aluf Mizzah; these are the alufei Reuel in Eretz Edom; these are the Bnei Basemat eshet Esav.
18 And these are the Bnei Oholivamah eshet Esav: aluf (chief) Yeush, aluf Yaalam, aluf Korach; these were the alufei Oholivamah Bat Anah eshet Esav.
19 These are the Bnei Esav, who is Edom, and these are their alufim (chiefs).
20 These are the Bnei Seir the Chori, who inhabited HaAretz: Lotan, and Shoval, and Tziveon, and Anah,
21 And Dishon, and Etzer, and Dishan; these are the alufei HaChori, the Bnei Seir in Eretz Edom.
22 And the Bnei Lotan were Chori and Hemam; and achot Lotan was Timna.
23 And the Bnei Shoval were these: Alvan, and Manachat, and Eval, Shepho, and Onam.
24 And these are the Bnei Tziveon: both Ayyah, and Anah; this was that Anah that found the mules in the midbar, as he pastured the chamorim of Tziveon aviv.
25 And the Bnei Anah were these: Dishon, and Oholivamah Bat Anah.
26 And these are the Bnei Dishon: Chemdan, and Eshban, and Yitran, and Keran.
27 The Bnei Etzer are these: Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan.
28 The Bnei Dishan are these: Uz, and Aran.
29 These are the alufei (chiefs) haChori: aluf (chief) Lotan, aluf Shoval, aluf Tziveon, aluf Anah,
30 Aluf Dishon, aluf Etzer, aluf (chief) Dishan; these are the alufei haChori by their alufim (chiefs) in Eretz Seir.
31 And these are the melechim that reigned in Eretz Edom, before there reigned any melech over the Bnei Yisroel.
32 And Bela Ben Be’or reigned in Edom; and the shem of his city was Dinhavah.
33 And Bela died, and Yovav Ben Zerach of Botzrah reigned in his place.
34 And Yovav died, and Chusham of Eretz Temani reigned in his place.
35 And Chusham died, and Hadad Ben Bedad, who defeated Midyan in the sadeh of Moav, reigned in his place; and the shem of his city was Avit.
36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.
37 And Samlah died, and Sha’ul of Rechovot-nahar reigned in his place.
38 And Sha’ul died, and Baal Chanan Ben Achbor reigned in his place.
39 And Baal Chanan Ben Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place; and the shem of his city was Pau; and the shem of his isha was Mehetavel Bat Matred Bat Mei Zahav.
40 And these are the shemot of the alufei Esav, according to their mishpechot, after their mekomot, by their shemot: aluf (chief) Timnah, aluf (chief) Alvah, aluf (chief) Yetet,
41 Aluf Oholivamah, aluf (chief) Elah, aluf (chief) Pinon,
42 Aluf (chief) Kenaz, aluf (chief) Teman, aluf (chief) Mivtzar,
43 Aluf (chief) Magdiel, aluf (chief) Iram; these are the alufei Edom, according to their moshavot in the eretz of their achuzzah; this is Esav Avi Edom.
Genesis 36
Expanded Bible
Esau’s Family
36 ·This is the family history [L These are the generations; 2:4] of Esau (also called Edom [25:30]). 2 Esau ·married [L took] women from the ·land [L daughters] of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Oholibamah daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 and Basemath [26:34], Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.
4 Adah gave birth to Eliphaz for Esau. Basemath gave him Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah gave him Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were Esau’s sons who were born in the land of Canaan.
6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the people who lived with him, his herds and other animals, and all the ·belongings [property] he had ·gotten [acquired] in Canaan, and he went to a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 ·Esau and Jacob’s [L For their] ·belongings [property] were becoming too many for them to live ·in the same land [together]. The land where they had ·lived [sojourned; lived as aliens] could not support both of them, because they had too many herds. 8 So Esau lived in the mountains of ·Edom [L Seir; 14:6]. (Esau is also named Edom [25:30].)
9 ·This is the family history [L These are the generations; 2:4] of Esau. He is the ·ancestor [father] of the Edomites, who live in the mountains of ·Edom [L Seir].
10 ·Esau’s sons were [L These are the names of the sons of Esau:] Eliphaz, son of Adah and Esau, and Reuel, son of Basemath and Esau.
11 Eliphaz had five sons: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Eliphaz also had a ·slave woman [concubine] named Timna, and Timna and Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek. These were Esau’s ·grandsons [descendants; L sons] by his wife Adah.
13 Reuel had four sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were Esau’s grandsons by his wife Basemath.
14 Esau’s third wife was Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. (Anah was the son of Zibeon.) Esau and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
15 These were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Esau: Esau’s ·first son [firstborn] was Eliphaz. From him came these ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Adah.
17 Esau’s son Reuel was the father of these ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Reuel in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
18 Esau’s wife Oholibamah gave birth to these ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] that came from Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau (also called Edom), and these were their leaders [chiefs; or clans].
20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These sons of Seir were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] of the Horites in Edom.
22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam. (Timna was Lotan’s sister.)
23 The sons of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24 The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. Anah is the man who found the hot springs in the ·desert [wilderness] while he was ·caring for [pasturing] his father’s donkeys.
25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Oholibamah daughter of Anah.
26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
27 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28 The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran.
29 These were the names of the Horite ·leaders [chiefs; or clans]: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
These men were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] of the Horite families who lived in the land of Edom.
31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before the Israelites ever had a king [1 Sam. 8–12]:
32 Bela son of Beor was the king of Edom. He came from the city of Dinhabah.
33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah became king. Jobab was from Bozrah.
34 When Jobab died, Husham became king. He was from the land of the Temanites.
35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who had defeated Midian in the country of Moab, became king. Hadad was from the city of Avith.
36 When Hadad died, Samlah became king. He was from Masrekah.
37 When Samlah died, Shaul became king. He was from Rehoboth on the ·Euphrates River [L River].
38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor became king.
39 When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king. He was from the city of Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab.
40 These Edomite ·leaders [chiefs; or clans], listed by their ·families [clans] and regions, came from Esau. Their names were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram. They were the ·leaders [chiefs; or clans] of Edom. (Esau was the father of the Edomites.) The area where each of these ·families [clans] lived was named after that ·family [clan].
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