Genesis 36:9–30

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 men of renown, not Seir, Psa 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, Gen 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, Gen 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, Gen 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, Psa 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.

And these are the generations of Esau, the father of the Edomites [130] Though Esau had two names, yet in this place the second name refers to his posterity, who are called Idumeans. For, to make it appear what God had bestowed upon him for the sake of his father Isaac, Moses expressly calls him the father of a celebrated and famous people. And certainly, it served this purpose not a little, to trace the effect and fulfillment of the prophecy in the progeny of Esau. For if the promise of God so mightily flourished towards a stranger, how much more powerfully would it put itself forth towards the children, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and consequently the inheritance of grace? Esau was an obscure man, and a sojourner in that country: whence therefore is it, that suddenly rulers should spring from him, and a great body of people should flourish, unless because the benediction which proceeded from the mouth of Isaac, was confirmed by the result? For Esau did not reign in this desert without opposition; since a people of no ignoble name previously inhabited Mount Seir. On this account Moses relates that the men who had before inhabited that land were mighty: so that it would not have been easy for a stranger to acquire such power as Esau possessed, if he had not been divinely assisted.

dukes--The Edomites, like the Israelites, were divided into tribes, which took their names from his sons. The head of each tribe was called by a term which in our version is rendered "duke"--not of the high rank and wealth of a British peer, but like the sheiks or emirs of the modern East, or the chieftains of highland clans. Fourteen are mentioned who flourished contemporaneously.

And these are the generations of Esau,.... Or the posterity of Esau, his children and grandchildren, as before and hereafter related: the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir; from whom they of that mountain and in the adjacent country had the name of Edomites or Idumeans.

These are the names of Esau's sons,.... In this and some following verses, an account is given of the sons of Esau, which agrees with what is before observed, and of his sons' sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau: who seems to be his first wife, and this his first son: Reuel the son of Bashemath and wife of Esau; his second son by another wife, a daughter of Ishmael, Genesis 36:3.

And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman,.... This was his firstborn, and from him the city of Teman in Edom or Idumea had its name, see Jeremiah 49:7; and Eliphaz is called the Temanite from hence, Job 2:11; four more sons are mentioned: Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz; but I do not find that any towns or cities, or any part of the land of Edom, were denominated from any of them; only it may be observed that Zepho is called Zephi in 1 Chronicles 1:36; the account seems fabulous and not to be depended on, which Josephus Ben Gorion (w) gives of him, of opposing the burial of Jacob, being taken by Joseph and carried into Egypt, and at his death fleeing to Carthage, and from thence to the Romans, and was king of them (x). (w) Hist. Heb. l. 1. c. 2. vid. Chizzuk Emunab, par. l. c. 6. p. 66. & Nachman apud Buxtorf. Lex. Talmud. Colossians 31, 32. (x) Vid. Huls. Theolog. Jud. par. 1. p. 132, &c.

And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son,.... She is said to be the sister of Lotan, the eldest son of Seir the Horite, Genesis 36:22; in 1 Chronicles 1:36 mention is made of Timna among the sons of Eliphaz, and of Duke Timnah here, Genesis 36:40; and Gerundinsis (y) is of opinion, that Timnah the concubine of Eliphaz, after she had bore Amalek, conceived and bore another son, and she dying in childbirth, he called it by her name to perpetuate her memory: but Jarchi says, that Eliphaz lay with Lotan's mother, the wife of Seir the Horite, of whom was born Timna, and when she grew up she became his concubine, and so was both his daughter and his concubine: and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek; from whence the Amalekites sprung, often mentioned in Scripture, whom the Israelites were commanded utterly to destroy, 1 Samuel 15:18, these were the sons of Adah, Esau's wife; that is, her grandsons. (y) Apud Menasseh ben Israel, conciliator in Gen. Quaest. 57. p. 81.

And these are the sons of Reuel,.... Another son of Esau's; this man had four sons, as follow: Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah: of whom we know no more than their names, unless Maps or Massa, which Ptolemy (z) places in Idumea, should have its name from Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath, Esau's wife; her grandsons, as before. (z) Geograph. l. 5. c. 16.

And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife,.... See Gill on Genesis 36:2; here also the Samaritan and Septuagint versions read, "the daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon": and she bare to Esau, Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah; this is repeated from Genesis 36:5; no mention is made of her grandchildren, as of his other wives.

These were dukes of the sons of Esau,.... Ben Melech says, the difference between a duke and a king was, that a king is crowned and a duke is not crowned; but Jarchi interprets the word of heads of families, which seems probable; so that as Esau's sons and grandsons are before related, here it is suggested that they had large and numerous families, of which they were the heads and governors; and in this and the following verses, Genesis 36:16; the sons and grandsons of Esau by his several wives are rehearsed as in the preceding verses, with the title of "duke" given to each of them.

Duke Korah,.... Only among the sons of Eliphaz is reckoned Duke Korah, not before mentioned among his sons, and is left out in the Samaritan version; See Gill on Genesis 36:7; to which it may be added, that according to Gerundinsis (a), this is the same with Timna, related among the sons of Eliphaz, 1 Chronicles 1:36; who was called by his father Korah: or this might be a grandson of Eliphaz. (a) Apud Menaasseh ut supra. (conciliator in Gen. Quaest. 57. p. 81.)

And these are the sons of Reuel.... See Gill on Genesis 36:15.

And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esua's wife;.... See Gill on Genesis 36:15.

These are the sons of Esua,.... See Gill on Genesis 36:15.

In the midst of this genealogy of the Edomites here is inserted the genealogy of the Horites, those Canaanites, or Hittites (compare Gen 26:34), that were the natives of Mount Seir. Mention is made of them, Gen 14:6, and of their interest in Mount Seir, before the Edomites took possession of it, Deu 2:12, Deu 2:22. 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 (Gen 36:24), and yet is called duke Anah, Gen 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.

This was that Anah that found the mules. Mules are the adulterous offspring of the horse and the ass. Moses says that Anal was the author of this connection. [131] But I do not consider this as said in praise of his industry; for the Lord has not in vain distinguished the different kinds of animals from the beginning. But since the vanity of the flesh often solicits the children of this world, so that they apply their minds to superfluous matters, Moses marks this unnatural pursuit in Anah, who did not think it sufficient to have a great number of animals; but he must add to them a degenerate race produced by unnatural intercourse. Moreover, we learn hence, that there is more moderation among brute animals in following the law of nature, than in men, who invent vicious admixtures.

This was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness--The word "mules" is, in several ancient versions, rendered "water springs"; and this discovery of some remarkable fountain was sufficient, among a wandering or pastoral people, to entitle him to such a distinguishing notice.

These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land,.... "Before", as the Targum of Jonathan adds, that is, before it was inhabited by Esau and his posterity, and called Edom, and had from him the name of Seir; but the Horites dwelt here before him, even in Abraham's time, Genesis 14:6; and who were so called from their dwelling under ground in holes and caves, with which the further part of the land of Edom abounded, and are the same the Greeks call Trogloditae: Jarchi says, from their Rabbins, these were very expert in the nature of the land, and knew what was fit for olives and what for vines. Now the genealogy of this man is here given, partly to show who were the ancient inhabitants of this land before they were drove out, and succeeded by Esau and his sons, Deuteronomy 1:12; and partly because of the intermarriages of Esau and his posterity with them, whereby they more easily came into the possession of the country; for Esau married the daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon, a son of Seir, Genesis 36:11; and Eliphaz took Timna, a sister of Lotan the son of Seir, to be his concubine, Genesis 36:12; the names of the sons of Seir follow: Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah: the first of these is said (b) to be the same with Latinus, a king that reigned in Italy, which seems to be taken from the fancied resemblance of names. Zibeon and Anah are here spoken of as brethren, the sons of Seir; whereas in Genesis 36:24; they are made mention of as father and son; see Gill on Genesis 36:2; Zibeon, according to the Jewish writers (c), committed incest with his mother, whence came Anah, and is called his brother, because of the same mother, and his son, as being begotten by him. They seem to seek for such kind of copulations to reproach the Edomites. (b) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 79. 1.((c) T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 54. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 115. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 82. fol. 72. 1.

And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan,.... These were three others of the sons of Seir, which with the other four before mentioned made seven: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom; these were in the land of Edom before it was so called and possessed by the Edomites, and whose posterity afterwards became tributary to them.

And the children of Lotan were Hori and Heman,.... The first of these seems to have his name from the general name of the tribe or nation, and the other is called Homam, 1 Chronicles 1:39, and Lotan's sister was Timna: whom Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau took for his concubine, Genesis 36:12; for the sake of which her relation to Lotan is here mentioned; and she is said to be the sister of this man particularly, though there were seven brethren of them, because she might be his sister both by father and mother's side, when she was not of the other only by the father's side.

And the children of Shobal were these,.... Who was the second son of Seir, and whose sons were the five following: Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam; in 1 Chronicles 1:40 Alvan is called Alian, and Shepho is Shephi.

And these are the children of Zibeon,.... The third son of Self, and who had two sons: both Ajah and Anah; of the latter it is observed: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father; who observed, while he was feeding his father's asses in the wilderness, that the he asses coupled with mares, or horses with the she asses, and produced another sort of creatures called mules; and by this means found out the way how such creatures might be produced, and practised it: so Aelianus says (d), that mules are not the produce of nature, but you may call it an adulterous invention of human contrivance and boldness, and a theft: this is the common interpretation, and to which our version leads: but against it it may be observed, that the word for "mules" is different from this here used, nor is this word ever used of mules, nor does it appear that there were any creatures of this sort before the days of David; nor is the word translated "found" ever used of that which before was not in being, but of what already existed; nor is there any mention of horses or mares in this account also; had it referred to a mixture of these creatures with asses, it would not have been omitted. Some think therefore the words are to be rendered, "he found waters in the wilderness"; sources and collections of waters which were not usual in a wilderness, and of great worth and use in desert lands, as Edom was, and in those hot countries, and the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "hot waters"; but then to the fixing of either of these versions, the word must be altered either in its points or letters, for which there is no authority. The Targum of Onkelos renders it mighty ones or giants, and may signify the "Emim", the "aleph" being changed for "yod", as Aben Ezra observes; and then the sense is, that these gigantic people, who were so called from the terror they taught upon their neighbours, and, who dwelt near the Horim in Seir, Deuteronomy 2:10, as they used to steal from their flocks, Anah lighted on them in the wilderness, and fell upon them, and took them; and with this agrees the Samaritan version, "he found giants, in the wilderness"; and so Abendana interprets the words: Aben Ezra observes that many interpret the word of plants or herbs; and a very learned (e) man is of opinion that the word used is the name of an useful herb or plant, first discovered by Anah. This Anah, though a keeper of his father's asses, is afterwards called Duke Anah; it being the custom of the sons of great personages to be the keepers of flocks and herds; See Gill on Genesis 29:9. (d) De Animal. l. 12. c. 16. (e) Wagenseil, in Sota, p. 217, 218.

And the children of Anah were these,.... Dishon, the name of one of his uncles. Genesis 36:21, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah; Aben Ezra thinks this is not the same Anah that was mentioned in the beginning of this verse; since, if he was the same, there was no need to mention him again, but that he is the same that is mentioned in Genesis 36:2; but if he is not the same that is spoken of in this verse and Genesis 36:24, it is difficult to account for the mention of him at all in this place: that he is the same as in Genesis 36:2 seems to be right, though it is attended with this difficulty, that the Anah and Aholibamah there are represented as of the Hivites, whereas here they are reckoned among the Horites; but it may be, as Ainsworth observes on Genesis 36:20, that the Horites were of the race of the Hivites originally; and indeed this Aholibamah being the wife of Esau seems to be the reason of this particular notice taken of her here. She is omitted in 1 Chronicles 1:41.

And these are the sons of Dishon,.... Not of Dishon the son of Anah, but of Dishon the son of Seir, Genesis 36:21; and they are the four following: Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran; the first of these is called Amram, or rather Chamram, 1 Chronicles 1:41.

The children of Ezer are these,.... Another son of Seir, who had the following sons: Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Achan; the two last are called Zavan and Jakan, in 1 Chronicles 1:42.

The children of Dishon are these,.... The last of the seven sons of Seir, and who had two sons: Uz and Aran; from the former of these the land of Uz, inhabited by the Edomites, had its name, Lamentations 4:21; some have taken this to be the country of Job, Job 1:1.

These are the dukes that came of the Horites,.... Not that succeeded one after another, as the kings next mentioned did, but were together, at the same time, heads of respective families, and governors of them; and then the seven sons of Seir are rehearsed in this verse and Genesis 36:30 in their order, with the title of "duke" annexed to each of them, "Duke Lotan", &c.

These are the dukes that came of Hori,.... The ancestor of Seir, whence he is called the Horite, unless the singular is put for the plural, used in Genesis 36:29, among their dukes in the land of Seir; not that there were other dukes besides them in the land of Seir until Esau got among them, but these were they whose habitations were before in the land of Gabla (or Seir); as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; or "in", or "according to their dukedoms", as the Septuagint version; in their respective families where they had the government, and which became very numerous.

Sons of Seir, the Horite--native dukes, who were incorporated with those of the Edomite race.