Gen 36:1 | KingComments | STEP | When Isaac has died, history continues with his sons. First the oldest is mentioned, the son who does not follow the line of faith. The death of his father reveals what lives in the heart of Esau. It has not made a lasting impression on him. His heart has not changed: he goes away from his brother ( ), with which he indicates that he wants to have nothing to do with the line of God’s thoughts. He has his own plans and follows his own path. Esau has three wives. The sons they give birth to are all born in Canaan, while the sons of Jacob, except Benjamin, are all born outside the land. And while Jacob enters the land, Esau leaves it to live in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom, the father of the Edomites, so it says several times in this chapter ( ). This people will reveal themselves as Israel’s most bitter enemy. The judgment on them is written down by the prophet Obadiah. Yet in this generation of curse, also an example of grace is present. In we read about Kenaz. Caleb, about whom we read in Joshua 14, is called “the Kenizzite” ( ). Kaleb is a descendant of Kenaz. Being born as an Edomite is therefore not hopeless ( ).

‏ Genesis 36:1

Esau Goes Away from Jacob

When Isaac has died, history continues with his sons. First the oldest is mentioned, the son who does not follow the line of faith. The death of his father reveals what lives in the heart of Esau. It has not made a lasting impression on him. His heart has not changed: he goes away from his brother (Gen 36:6), with which he indicates that he wants to have nothing to do with the line of God’s thoughts. He has his own plans and follows his own path.

Esau has three wives. The sons they give birth to are all born in Canaan, while the sons of Jacob, except Benjamin, are all born outside the land. And while Jacob enters the land, Esau leaves it to live in the hill country of Seir.

Esau is Edom, the father of the Edomites, so it says several times in this chapter (Gen 36:1 ; 8 ; 9 ; 19 ; 43). This people will reveal themselves as Israel’s most bitter enemy. The judgment on them is written down by the prophet Obadiah.

Yet in this generation of curse, also an example of grace is present. In Gen 36:15 we read about Kenaz. Caleb, about whom we read in Joshua 14, is called “the Kenizzite” (Jos 14:6). Kaleb is a descendant of Kenaz. Being born as an Edomite is therefore not hopeless (Jdg 3:9).