Genesis 36

King James Version

Full text for Genesis Chapter 36

1¶ 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.

9¶ And these [are] the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

10These [are] the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

11And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.

12And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these [were] the sons of Adah Esau's wife.

13And these [are] the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

14And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.

15These [were] dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn [son] of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,

16Duke Korah, duke Gatam, [and] duke Amalek: these [are] the dukes [that came] of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these [were] the sons of Adah.

17And these [are] the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these [are] the dukes [that came] of Reuel in the land of Edom; these [are] the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

18And these [are] the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these [were] the dukes [that came] of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife.

19These [are] the sons of Esau, who [is] Edom, and these [are] their dukes.

20¶ These [are] the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,

21And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these [are] the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.

22And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister [was] Timna.

23And the children of Shobal [were] these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

24And these [are] the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this [was that] Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.

25And the children of Anah [were] these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.

26And these [are] the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.

27The children of Ezer [are] these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan.

28The children of Dishan [are] these; Uz, and Aran.

29These [are] the dukes [that came] of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah,

30Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these [are] the dukes [that came] of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.

31¶ And these [are] the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.

32And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city [was] Dinhabah.

33And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

34And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead.

35And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city [was] Avith.

36And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.

37And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth [by] the river reigned in his stead.

38And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.

39And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city [was] Pau; and his wife's name [was] Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

40And these [are] the names of the dukes [that came] of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth,

41Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,

42Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,

43Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these [be] the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he [is] Esau the father of the Edomites.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Genesis chapter 36 meticulously details the generations of Esau, also known as Edom, outlining his wives, sons, and grandsons. It records his relocation to Mount Seir due to the abundance of his possessions and lists his descendants as dukes of Edom. The chapter also includes the genealogies of the Horite inhabitants of the land and a succession of kings who reigned in Edom before the monarchy of Israel.

Medium Summary

Genesis chapter 36 provides a comprehensive genealogical account of Esau, identified as Edom, and his numerous descendants. It begins by listing his three wives and the initial sons born to him in the land of Canaan. Esau subsequently moved to Mount Seir with his household and vast possessions, separating from Jacob due to their immense wealth. The chapter then meticulously enumerates Esau's sons and their offspring, highlighting their roles as "dukes" in the land of Edom, including the notable lineage of Amalek through Eliphaz. Furthermore, it records the generations of the Horites, the original inhabitants of Seir, and their own dukes. A significant historical interjection follows, presenting a list of eight kings who reigned in Edom prior to the establishment of a monarchy in Israel. The chapter concludes by reiterating the dukes of Esau, emphasizing their territorial and familial organization in the land of their possession.

Long Summary

Genesis chapter 36 is dedicated entirely to the generations and lineage of Esau, who is consistently identified as Edom, thereby tracing the origins of the Edomite nation. The chapter commences by naming Esau's three wives—Adah, Aholibamah, and Bashemath—and their respective sons born in the land of Canaan: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. It then explains Esau's decision to depart from Jacob and settle in Mount Seir, a move necessitated by their immense wealth and numerous cattle, which the land could not sustain for both families. The narrative proceeds to provide a more detailed enumeration of Esau's descendants, specifically identifying them as "dukes" who emerged from his sons and grandsons in the land of Edom. This includes the lineage of Eliphaz, from whom came Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and notably, Amalek, born of his concubine Timna. The sons of Reuel (Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, Mizzah) and Aholibamah (Jeush, Jaalam, Korah) are also listed as dukes. Following Esau's progeny, the chapter shifts focus to the indigenous inhabitants of Mount Seir, the Horites, presenting their own generations and dukes, such as Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan, illustrating the pre-Edomite presence in the region. A unique historical section then details a succession of eight kings who reigned in Edom, providing their names and cities, and explicitly stating that this occurred "before there reigned any king over the children of Israel." This detail offers a chronological marker for the Edomite monarchy. The chapter concludes by offering a final summary list of the dukes of Esau, organized by their families and habitations, reinforcing Esau's foundational role as the patriarch of the Edomites in their established territory.

Core Concepts

  • Esau as EdomThe chapter repeatedly identifies Esau with Edom, establishing him as the progenitor and namesake of the Edomite nation and its people, central to understanding the identity of the inhabitants of Mount Seir.
  • Migration to Mount SeirEsau's departure from Jacob and settlement in Mount Seir is attributed to their excessive wealth and livestock, indicating that the land of Canaan could not support both their large households, thus establishing the geographical domain of Edom.
  • Dukes of EdomEsau's descendants, particularly his sons and grandsons, are consistently referred to as "dukes," signifying their leadership and authority within the emerging Edomite society and highlighting a form of tribal or clan-based governance.
  • Horite InhabitantsThe chapter acknowledges the Horites as the original inhabitants of Mount Seir, listing their generations and dukes, indicating that Edom settled in a land already occupied by another people and providing context for the eventual Edomite dominion.
  • Edomite KingshipA distinct section enumerates a series of kings who reigned in Edom, notably before the establishment of a monarchy in Israel, demonstrating an early form of centralized rule among the Edomites and highlighting their political development.
  • Amalek's OriginThe chapter specifically mentions Amalek as a grandson of Esau, born to Eliphaz by his concubine Timna, thereby tracing the lineage of a significant future adversary of Israel back to Esau.