Genesis Bible Study: Genesis 36

Descendants of Esau

⁽¹⁾ This is the history of the descendants of Esau (also known as Edom).

⁽²⁾ Esau married two young women from Canaan: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite.

⁽³⁾ He also married his cousin Basemath, who was the daughter of Ishmael and the sister of Nebaioth.

⁽⁴⁾ Esau and Adah had a son named Eliphaz. Esau and Basemath had a son named Reuel.

⁽⁵⁾ Esau and Oholibamah had sons named Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. All these sons were born to Esau in the land of Canaan.

⁽⁶⁾ Then Esau took his wives, children, household servants, cattle, and flocks--all the wealth he had gained in the land of Canaan--and moved away from his brother, Jacob.

⁽⁷⁾ There was not enough land to support them both because of all their cattle and livestock.

⁽⁸⁾ So Esau (also known as Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir.

⁽⁹⁾ This is a list of Esau's descendants, the Edomites*, who lived in the hill country of Seir.

*Edomites: During the Exodus, God told Israel to leave the Edomites alone (Deuteronomy 2:4-5) because they were "relatives". But, Edom refused to let them enter the land, and later they becme bitter enemies of King David. The nations of Edom and Isreal shared the same ancestor, Isaac, and the same border. Israel looked down on the Edomites becaquse they intermarried with the Canaanites.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Among Esau's sons were Eliphaz, the son of Esau's wife Adah; and Reuel, the son of Esau's wife Basemath.

⁽¹¹⁾ The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.

⁽¹²⁾ Eliphaz had another son named Amalek*, born to Timna, his concubine. These were all grandchildren of Esau's wife Adah.

*Amalek: One of Israel's bitterest enemies.

⁽¹³⁾ The sons of Reuel were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were all grandchildren of Esau's wife Basemath.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Esau also had sons through Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon. Their names were Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Esau's children and grandchildren became the leaders of different clans. The sons of Esau's oldest son, Eliphaz, became the leaders of the clans of Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,

⁽¹⁶⁾ Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These clans in the land of Edom were descended from Eliphaz, the son of Esau and Adah.

⁽¹⁷⁾ The sons of Esau's son Reuel became the leaders of the clans of Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These clans in the land of Edom were descended from Reuel, the son of Esau and Basemath.

⁽¹⁸⁾ The sons of Esau and his wife Oholibamah became the leaders of the clans of Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the clans descended from Esau's wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

⁽¹⁹⁾ These are all the clans descended from Esau (also known as Edom).

⁽²⁰⁾ These are the names of the tribes that descended from Seir the Horite, one of the families native to the land of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

⁽²¹⁾ Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the Horite clans, the descendants of Seir, who lived in the land of Edom.

⁽²²⁾ The sons of Lotan were Hori and Heman. Lotan's sister was named Timna.

⁽²³⁾ The sons of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

⁽²⁴⁾ The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the wilderness while he was grazing his father's donkeys.

⁽²⁵⁾ The son of Anah was Dishon, and Oholibamah was his daughter.

⁽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⁾ So the leaders of the Horite clans were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

⁽³⁰⁾ Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. The Horite clans are named after their clan leaders, who lived in the land of Seir.

⁽³¹⁾ These are the kings who ruled in Edom before there were kings in Israel*:

*kings in Israel: Or before an Israelite king ruled over them.

⁽³²⁾ Bela son of Beor, who ruled from his city of Dinhabah.

⁽³³⁾ When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah became king.

⁽³⁴⁾ When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites became king.

⁽³⁵⁾ When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad became king and ruled from the city of Avith. He was the one who destroyed the Midianite army in the land of Moab.

⁽³⁶⁾ When Hadad died, Samlah from the city of Masrekah became king.

⁽³⁷⁾ When Samlah died, Shaul from the city of Rehoboth on the Euphrates River became king.

⁽³⁸⁾ When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Acbor became king.

⁽³⁹⁾ When Baal-hanan died, Hadad became king and ruled from the city of Pau. Hadad's wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Me-zahab.

⁽⁴⁰⁾ These are the leaders of the clans of Esau, who lived in the places named for them: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

⁽⁴¹⁾ Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,

⁽⁴²⁾ Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

⁽⁴³⁾ Magdiel, and Iram. These are the names of the clans of Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites, each clan giving its name to the area it occupied.

On-Line Sources