In this chapter we have an account of the posterity of Esau, who,
from him, were called Edomites, that Esau who sold his birthright,
and lost his blessing, and was not loved of God as Jacob
was. Here is a brief register kept of his family for some generations.
1. Because he was the son of Isaac, for whose sake this
honour is put upon him.
2. Because the Edomites were neighbours
to Israel, and their genealogy would be of use to give light
to the following stories of what passed between them.
3. It is to
show the performance of the promise to Abraham, that he should
be "the father of many nations," and of that answer which
Rebekah had from the oracle she consulted, "Two nations are
in thy womb," and of the blessing of Isaac, "Thy dwelling
shall be the fatness of the earth." We have here,
I. Esau's wives,
Genesis 36:1-5.
II. His remove to mount Seir,
Genesis 36:6-8.
III. The names of his sons,
Genesis 36:9-14.
IV. The dukes who descended
of his sons,
Genesis 36:15-19.
V. The dukes of the Horites,
Genesis 36:20-30.
VI. The kings and dukes of Edom,
Genesis 36:31-43. Little more is
recorded than their names, because the history of those that
were out of the church (though perhaps it might have been serviceable
in politics) would have been of little use in divinity. It
is in the church that the memorable instances are found of
special grace, and special providence; for that is the enclosure,
the rest is common. This chapter is abridged,
1 Chronicles 1:35-54, &c.
The Generations of Esau.
B. C. 1780.
1 Now these are the generations of
Esau, who is Edom.
2 Esau
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;
3 And Bashemath Ishmael's
daughter, sister of Nebajoth.
4 And
Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and
Bashemath bare Reuel;
5 And Aholibamah
bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and
Korah: these are the sons of Esau,
which were born unto him in the land
of Canaan.
6 And 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.
7 For 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.
8 Thus dwelt Esau
in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
Observe here,
1. Concerning Esau himself,
Genesis 36:1. He is called Edom (and again,
Genesis 36:8), that name by which was perpetuated
the remembrance of the foolish bargain he
made, when he sold his birthright for that red,
that red pottage. The very mention of that
name is enough to intimate the reason why
his family is turned off with such a short
account. Note, If men do a wrong thing
they must thank themselves, when it is, long
afterwards, remembered against them to their
reproach.
2. Concerning his wives, and the
children they bore him in the land of Canaan.
He had three wives, and, by them all, but five
sons: many a one has more by one wife.
God in his providence often disappoints those
who take indirect courses to build up a family;
yet here the promise prevailed, and
Esau's family was built up.
3. Concerning
his removal to mount Seir, which was the
country God had given him for a possession,
when he reserved Canaan for the seed of Jacob.
God owns it, long afterwards: I gave
to Esau mount Seir
(Deuteronomy 2:5,Jos+24:4), which was the reason why the Edomites must
not be disturbed in their possession. Those
that have not a right by promise, such as
Jacob had, to Canaan, may have a very good
title by providence to their estates, such as
Esau had to mount Seir. Esau had begun
to settle among his wives' relations, in Seir,
before Jacob came from Padan-aram,
Genesis 32:3. Isaac, it is likely, had sent him
thither (as Abraham in his life-time had sent
the sons of the concubines from Isaac his son
into the east country,
Genesis 26:6), that Jacob
might have the clearer way made for him to
the possession of the promised land. During
the life of Isaac, however, Esau had probably
still some effects remaining in Canaan; but,
after his death, he wholly withdrew to mount
Seir, took with him what came to his share
of his father's personal estate, and left Canaan
to Jacob, not only because he had the promise
of it, but because Esau perceived that if they
should continue to thrive as they had begun
there would not be room for both. Thus
dwelt Esau in Mount Seir,
Genesis 36:8. Note, Whatever
opposition may be made, God's word
will be accomplished, and even those that
have opposed it will see themselves, some
time or other, under a necessity of yielding
to it, and acquiescing in it. Esau had
struggled for Canaan, but now he tamely
retires to mount Seir; for God's counsels shall
certainly stand, concerning the times before
appointed, and the bounds of our habitation.
The Dukes of Edom.
B. C. 1729.
9 And these are the generations of
Esau the father of the Edomites in
mount Seir:
10 These 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.
11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman,
Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz
Esau's son; and she bare to
Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons
of Adah Esau's wife.
13 And these
are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and
Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these
were the sons of Bashemath Esau's
wife.
14 And 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.
15 These were dukes
of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz
the firstborn son of Esau; duke
Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke
Kenaz,
16 Duke 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.
17 And 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.
18 And 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.
19 These are the sons of Esau, who is
Edom, and these are their dukes.
Observe here,
1. That only the names of
Esau's sons and grandsons are recorded,
only their names, not their history; for it is
the church that Moses preserves the records
of, not the record of those that are without.
Those elders that lived by faith alone obtained
a good report. It is Sion that produces the
men of renown, not Seir,
Psalms 87:5. Nor does the genealogy go any further than
the third and fourth generation; the very
names of all after are buried in oblivion. It
is only the pedigree of the Israelites, who
were to be the heirs of Canaan, and of whom
were to come the promised seed, and the
holy seed, that is drawn out to any length,
as far as there was occasion for it, even of
all the tribes till Canaan was divided among
them, and of the royal line till Christ came.
2. That these sons and grandsons of Esau
are called dukes,
Genesis 36:15-19. Probably they
were military commanders, dukes, or captains,
that had soldiers under them; for Esau
and his family lived by the sword,
Genesis 27:40. Note, Titles of honour have been more
ancient out of the church than in it. Esau's
sons were dukes when Jacob's sons were but
plain shepherds,
Genesis 47:3. This is not a
reason why such titles should not be used
among Christians; but it is a reason why
men should not overvalue themselves, or
others, for the sake of them. There is an
honour that comes from God, and a name in
his house that is infinitely more valuable.
Edomites may be dukes with men, but
Israelites indeed are made to our God
kings and priests.
3. We may suppose those
dukes had numerous families of children and
servants that were their dukedoms. God
promised to multiply Jacob, and to enrich
him; yet Esau increases, and is enriched
first. Note, It is no new thing for the men
of this world to be full of children, and to
have their bellies too filled with hidden treasures,
Psalms 17:14. God's promise to Jacob
began to work late, but the effect of it remained
longer, and it had its complete accomplishment
in the spiritual Israel.
20 These are the sons of Seir the
Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan,
and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,
21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan:
these are the dukes of the Horites,
the children of Seir in the land of
Edom.
22 And the children of Lotan
were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's
sister was Timna.
23 And the
children of Shobal were these; Alvan,
and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and
Onam.
24 And 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.
25 And the
children of Anah were these; Dishon,
and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
26 And these are the children of
Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and
Ithran, and Cheran.
27 The children
of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and
Zaavan, and Akan.
28 The children
of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.
29 These are the dukes that came of
the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal,
duke Zibeon, duke Anah,
30 Duke
Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan:
these are the dukes that came of
Hori, among their dukes in the land
of Seir.
In the midst of this genealogy of the Edomites
here is inserted the genealogy of the
Horites, those Canaanites, or Hittites (compare
Genesis 26:34), that were the natives of
Mount Seir. Mention is made of them,
Genesis 14:6, and of their interest in Mount Seir,
before the Edomites took possession of it,
Deuteronomy 2:12,22. This comes in here, not
only to give light to the story, but to be a
standing reflection upon the Edomites for
intermarrying with them, by which, it is
probable, they learned their way, and corrupted
themselves. Esau having sold his
birthright, and lost his blessing, and entered
into alliance with the Hittites, his posterity
and the sons of Seir are here reckoned
together. Note, Those that treacherously
desert God's church are justly numbered
with those that were never in it; apostate
Edomites stand on the same ground with
accursed Horites. Particular notice is taken
of one Anah who fed the asses of Zibeon his
father
(Genesis 36:24), and yet is called duke Anah,
Genesis 36:29. Note, Those that expect to rise high
should begin low. An honourable descent
should not keep men from an honest employment,
nor a mean employment hinder any
man's preferment. This Anah was not only
industrious in his business, but ingenious
too, and successful; for he found mules, or
(as some read it) waters, hot-baths, in the
wilderness. Those that are diligent in their
business sometimes find more advantages
than they expected.
31 And these are the kings that
reigned in the land of Edom, before
there reigned any king over the children
of Israel.
32 And Bela the son of
Beor reigned in Edom: and the name
of his city was Dinhabah.
33 And
Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah
of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
34 And Jobab died, and Husham of
the land of Temani reigned in his stead.
35 And 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.
36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah
reigned in his stead.
37 And
Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth
by the river reigned in his stead.
38 And Saul died, and Baal-hanan the
son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
39 And Baal-hanan 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.
40 And 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,
41 Duke
Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke
Mibzar,
43 Duke 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.
By degrees, it seems, the Edomites wormed
out the Horites, obtained full possession of
the country, and had a government of their
own.
1. They were ruled by kings, who
governed the whole country, and seem to
have come to the throne by election, and not
by lineal descent; so bishop Patrick observes.
These kings reigned in Edom before there
reigned any king over the children of Israel,
that is, before Moses's time, for he was king
in Jeshurun,
Deuteronomy 33:5. God had lately promised
Jacob that kings should come out of his loins
(Genesis 35:11), yet Esau's blood becomes
royal long before any of Jacob's did. Note,
In external prosperity and honour, the children
of the covenant are often cast behind,
and those that are out of covenant get the
start. The triumphing of the wicked may
be quick, but it is short; soon ripe, and as
soon rotten: but the products of the promise,
though they are slow, are sure and lasting;
at the end it shall speak, and not lie. We may
suppose it was a great trial to the faith of God's
Israel to hear of the pomp and power of the
kings of Edom, while they were bond-slaves in
Egypt; but those that look for great things
from God must be content to wait for them;
God's time is the best time.
2. They were
afterwards governed by dukes, again here
named, who, I suppose, ruled all at the same
time in several places in the country. Either
they set up this form of government in conformity
to the Horites, who had used it
(Genesis 36:29), or God's providence reduced them to it,
as some conjecture, to correct them for their
unkindness to Israel, in refusing them a
passage though their country,
Numbers 20:18. Note, When power is abused, it is just with
God to weaken it, by turning it into divers
channels. For the transgression of a land,
many are the princes thereof. Sin brought
Edom from kings to dukes, from crowns to
coronets. We read of the dukes of Edom
(Exodus 15:15), yet, long afterwards, of their
kings again.
3. Mount Seir is called the land
of their possession,
Genesis 36:43. While the Israelites
dwelt in the house of bondage, and their
Canaan was only the land of promise, the
Edomites dwelt in their own habitations, and
Seir was in their possession. Note, The
children of this world have their all in hand,
and nothing in hope
(Luke 16:25); while
the children of God have their all in hope,
and next to nothing in hand. But, all things
considered, it is better to have Canaan in
promise than mount Seir in possession.
Matthew Henry "Verse by Verse Commentary for 'Genesis' Matthew Henry Bible Commentary".
.