Gen 36:1-8 | NET2full | STEP | What follows is the account of Esau ( also known as Edom ).

‏ Genesis 36:1-8

The Descendants of Esau

1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom). ^{▼▼sn Chapter 36 records what became of Esau. It will list both his actual descendants as well as the people he subsumed under his tribal leadership, people who were aboriginal Edomites. The chapter is long and complicated (see further J. R. Bartlett, “The Edomite King-List of Genesis 36:31-39 and 1 Chronicles 1:43-50,” JTS 16 [1965]: 301-14; and W. J. Horowitz, “Were There Twelve Horite Tribes?” CBQ 35 [1973]: 69-71). In the format of the Book of Genesis, the line of Esau is “tidied up” before the account of Jacob is traced (37:2). As such the arrangement makes a strong contrast with Jacob. As F. Delitzsch says, “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness” (New Commentary on Genesis, 2:238). In other words, the progress of the world far out distances the progress of the righteous who are waiting for the promise.}

2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: ^{▼▼tn Heb “from the daughters of Canaan.”} Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter ^{▼▼tn Heb “daughter,” but see Gen 36:24-25.} of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and he went to a land some distance away from ^{▼▼tn Heb “from before.”} Jacob his brother 7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together, and the land where they had settled ^{▼▼tn Heb “land of their settlements.”} was not able to support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir. ^{▼▼tn Traditionally “Mount Seir,” but in this case the expression בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר (behar seʿir) refers to the hill country or highlands of Seir.}