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36:1–43 There are two genealogies in this passage: vv. 1–8 and 36:9–43. This passage is the last mention of Esau in Genesis (compare note on 5:1). The remainder of the book (chs. 37–50) focuses on Jacob’s descendants.
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36:1 Esau See note on 25:25. This chapter includes individual records of Esau’s three wives and their five sons. Together, they form a larger confederation of tribes.
36:2 Esau took his wives The names of Esau’s wives in this account differ from those in 26:34 and 28:9. Despite these variances, all the traditions agree that Esau married foreign wives (see 26:35; 27:46–28:9).
the daughters of Canaan This Hebrew term is used in the Pentateuch to refer to the wide range of peoples living in the region. See note on 13:7.
After the establishment of the Israelite monarchy, “Canaanite”
came to mean the pre-Israelite population, without respect to race or social status.
Daughters of Canaan LRC:G1250
Nations of Canaan DOT: P
Nations of Canaan DOT: P
The Hittites of Hebron Genesis (JPS)
Anah The Hebrew word used here, anah, is a component of known ancient Near Eastern personal names, suggesting that the name may also be that of a god.
Hivite See note on 34:2. While Esau’s wife Oholibamah is identified as a Hivite here, her ancestors (presumably her father and grandfather—Anah and Zibeon), appear in the genealogy of the descendants of Seir the Horite in vv. 20–30. The Hivites and Horites are likely both names for the same native Canaanite people. In Hebrew, the names differ by one letter and look very similar.
Nations of Canaan DOT: P
36:3 Basemath The name “Basemath” is a word for “spice.” It may indicate that her people were involved with some sort of spice trade.
the daughter of Ishmael Ishmael is the firstborn son of Abraham and Hagar, although he is not the son of promise (ch. 16); that honor is reserved for Isaac, the firstborn son of Abraham and Sarah (17:17–19). Since Esau is Isaac’s son, his marriage to Ishmael’s daughter aligns him with his father’s rival.
36:6–8 The migration of Esau and his family clan to Seir at this point in the narrative is chronologically problematic. Earlier Esau was already depicted as living in Seir and then returning to Seir again after his meeting with Jacob (32:3–4; 33:14, 16). This means that this chapter likely presents a parenthetical summary and elaboration rather than a chronological account. This would mean that Jacob and Esau living in proximity to one another as adults with large families (vv. 7–8) occurred at some point between 33:11 and 33:16. |
36:7 their possessions were too many This line is reminiscent of why Abraham and Lot separated (13:7–8). It also presupposes a time subsequent to Jacob’s return to Bethel and reconciliation with Esau (33:4–11).
36:8 Esau, that is Edom This is a name for either part of Edom (e.g., 14:6; Deut 2:1; Josh 12:7) or Edom in its entirety—in both geographical and political terms (e.g., Gen 33:14, 16; Num 24:18; Josh 24:4; Ezek 25:8).
36:9–43 This second genealogy of Esau is divided into four sections: Gen 36:9–14, 36:15–19, 36:20–30; and 36:31–43. The first section of this second genealogy (vv. 9–14) repeats the names and relationships of the first one (see vv. 1–4), but it continues the line to the third generation for Adah and Basemath. The sequence of Esau’s wives moves according to the descending number of their children. |
36:11 Teman Verse 34 refers to the land of the Temanites, which suggests that Teman was a geographical term for Edom (see Obad 9; Hab 3:3; Ezek 25:13).
36:12 Amalek Amalek is in Esau’s family line by a concubine, Timna. The ot casts the Amalekites as one of Israel’s most bitter foes. The Amalekites are elsewhere not described as part of Edom (see Exod 17:8–15; Num 24:20), likely because they are descendants of a concubine. This may indicate that they were latecomers to the Edomite tribal confederation. This is supported by Gen 36:22, which describes Timna as the sister of Lotan, an indigenous Horite (v. 20). This suggests that the Edomites who migrated to Seir began to intermarry with the native population.
Amalek LRC:G1250
Amalek (Person) AYBD
36:15–19 This portion of Esau’s genealogy focuses on Esau’s firstborn son, Eliphaz. In this section each individual is described as a “chief” (alluph in Hebrew). The term alluph is related to the Hebrew word eleph, which refers to a clan or subdivision of a tribe.
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36:20–30 This portion of the second genealogy traces the lineage of the indigenous Canaanite people—the Horites or Hivites (see v. 2 and note)—who were native to the region taken over by the descendants of Esau (v. 8). This list links the family of Esau to the native Horites through his marriage to Oholibamah, daughter of a chief of the Horites (v. 26; compare vv. 18–19). The placement of this genealogy of the Horites suggests that they were assimilated into the clans of Edom. In this section, Seir is identified as the ancestor of the native clans. The region of Seir was named after him. |
36:31–39 This section presents an account of eight kings who ruled in Edom before the Israelite monarchy (v. 31). |
36:31 before any king ruled over the Israelites Since Saul, the first king of the Israelites, came centuries after the era of the patriarchs, this phrase was likely added by an editor to indicate that the prophecy given to Rebekah about Esau’s fate had been fulfilled (see 25:23; compare 27:40). According to 1 Sam 14:47, Saul fought against the Edomites, and David later dominated Edom (2 Sam 8:2,13–14; 1 Kgs 11:14–17).
36:33 Bozrah The later capital city of Edom; it is sometimes equated with Edom as a whole (Isa 34:6; 63:1; Jer 49:13).
36:34 the Temanites See note on Gen 36:11.
36:40–43 This list of names is not identical to previous ones. Likely arranged by localities, it may reflect Edomite administrative ordering during the time of the last Edomite king (see 1 Chr 1:54). |
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