Old Testament · Law

Genesis 36

Esau's Line

Esau's descendants settle in Edom. A genealogy that quietly shows: God kept His promise to bless both brothers.

Berean Standard Bible BSB KJV

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1This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom).

2Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite,

3and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

4And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath gave birth to Reuel,

5and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

6Later, Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the people of his household, along with his livestock, all his other animals, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan, and he moved to a land far away from his brother Jacob.

7For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together; the land where they stayed could not support them because of their livestock.

8So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.

9This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the area of Mount Seir.

10These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esau’s wife Basemath.

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

12Additionally, Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, gave birth to Amalek. These are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.

13These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.

14These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah (daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon) whom she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

15These are the chiefs among the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,

16Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. They are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Adah.

17These are the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.

18These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. They are the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

19All these are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and they were their chiefs.

20These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

21Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. They are the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants of Seir in the land of Edom.

22The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Timna was Lotan’s sister.

23These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

24These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. (This is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness as he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon.)

25These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah daughter of Anah.

26These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

27These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.

28These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

29These are the chiefs of the Horites: Chiefs Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

30Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. They are the chiefs of the Horites, according to their divisions in the land of Seir.

31These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites:

40These are the names of Esau’s chiefs, according to their families and regions, by their names: Chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

41Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,

42Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

43Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. Esau was the father of the Edomites.

Understand This

Genesis 36, explained

What Genesis 36 is saying

The genealogy of Esau records his wives, sons, and the chiefs and kings of Edom who descended from him. The chapter traces how Esau's line established itself in the hill country of Seir, becoming a powerful nation before Israel had any king. The detailed tribal and political structure of Edom is preserved.

The background behind it

Edom's genealogy serves to account for a significant neighboring nation and fulfills God's promise that Esau too would become a great people (25:23; 27:39-40). The reference to kings ruling in Edom 'before any king reigned over the Israelites' (36:31) has been cited as evidence of a post-monarchic editorial hand.

Themes running underneath

God's promises extend beyond the chosen covenant line; Esau is blessed with nationhood even outside the Abrahamic covenant. The detailed genealogy dignifies Esau's descendants and demonstrates God's providential ordering of all nations, not only Israel.

Why it still matters

God's care is not limited to those within the covenant line. Esau's prosperity reminds us that God's common grace extends to all peoples, even when His redemptive purposes flow through a particular family.

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Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible — used by permission, Bible Hub.