1
This is the genealogy of Esau, that is, Edom.
2
Esau took wives from the Canaanites: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite,
3
and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth.
4
Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and 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 and daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his animals, and all the goods he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and he went to another land, away from his brother Jacob.
7
For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were staying could not support them because of their livestock.
8
So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom.
9
This is the genealogy of Esau, father of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.
10
These are the names of his sons: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, Esau’s wife; Reuel, the son of Basemath, Esau’s wife.
11
The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
12
Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the grandsons of Adah, Esau’s wife.
13
These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the grandsons of Basemath, Esau’s wife.
14
These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon; she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
15
These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn, chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,
16
chief Korah, chief Gatam, and chief Amalek; these are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the descendants of Adah.
17
These are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, and chief Mizzah; these are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the descendants of Basemath, Esau’s wife.
18
These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, and chief Korah; these are the chiefs of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah.
19
These are the sons of Esau, that is, Edom, and these are their chiefs.
20
These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
21
Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom.
22
The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and Lotan’s sister was Timna.
23
These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
24
These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; this was the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, while he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon.
25
These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah.
26
These are the children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
27
These are the children of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28
These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
29
These are the chiefs of the Horites: the chief of Lotan, the chief of Shobal, the chief of Zibeon, the chief of Anah,
30
the chief of Dishon, the chief of Ezer, and the chief of Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, by their clans, in the land of Seir.
31
These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites.
32
In Edom, Bela son of Beor reigned, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33
After Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
34
After Jobab died, Husham, from the land of the Temanites, reigned in his place.
35
After Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad reigned in his place; he it was who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, and the name of his city was Avith.
36
After Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
37
After Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River reigned in his place.
38
After Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Achbor reigned in his place.
39
After Baal-Hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
40
These are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their clans and their places, by their names: the chief of Timna, the chief of Alvah, the chief of Jetheth,
41
the chief of Oholibamah, the chief of Elah, the chief of Pinon,
42
the chief of Kenaz, the chief of Teman, the chief of Mibzar,
43
the chief of Magdiel, and the chief of Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land of their possession. Edom is Esau, the father of the Edomites.
📜🏔️ Summary of Genesis 36
This chapter contains the genealogy of Esau, Jacob’s brother, who settled in the hill country of Seir and became the ancestor of the nation of Edom. This is not a narrative chapter, but a historical and genealogical record of great importance.
1. Esau’s Descendants in Canaan (verses 1–8)
- Esau married Canaanite women and had several children: Eliphaz, Reuel, and others.
- Because his possessions were very great, Esau separated his dwelling from Jacob. He settled in the hill country of Seir.
- Esau is called “the father of Edom”, the ancestor of the nation that would later become Israel’s enemy.
2. List of Children and Chiefs (verses 9–43)
- The details include:
The descendants of Eliphaz (Esau’s son by Adah).
The descendants of Reuel (Esau’s son by Basemath).
The descendants of Seir, the original inhabitants of that land (the Horites), who later intermingled with the descendants of Esau.
The chiefs of Edom, and then the kings of Edom who ruled before there was a king in Israel.
📖 Main Teaching
- The Lord still blessed the descendants of Esau, though they were not the chosen line.
- God fulfilled His promise to Abraham that many nations would come from his descendants.
- Other nations also have a history and a place in God’s plan.
- Differences in dwelling place can bring peace if possessions and territory are the source of conflict.
- Genealogical records show the importance of history in understanding identity and God’s plan.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- Though Esau was not the Messianic line, God did not forget him and allowed a great nation (Edom) to come from him — this shows the justice and mercy of the Lord toward all the descendants of Abraham.
- This genealogy shows that the Lord cares about nations other than Israel, and still has authority over their history.
- The fact that Edom had kings before Israel shows that spiritual blessing and earthly power are not the same thing.
- Genesis 36 also shows that God works behind the scenes of history, even through a list of names that seems dry — all of it is recorded in His plan.
