Genesis Chapter Thirty Six

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In our study of Genesis chapter thirty six, we see the genealogy of Edom who would become the enemies of Israel and God.

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Genesis 36:1-5


This is the genealogy of 'Esav (that is, Edom). 'Esav chose Kena'ani women as his wives: 'Adah the daughter of Eilon the Hitti; Oholivamah the daughter of 'Anah the daughter of Tziv'on the Hivi; and Basmat Yishma'el's daughter, sister of N'vayot. 'Adah bore to 'Esav Elifaz, Basmat bore Re'u'el, and Oholivamah bore Ye'ush, Ya'lam and Korach. These were the sons of 'Esav born to him in the land of Kena'an.


We see that Edom had taken wives from among the Canaanites which was the opposite of what Yitz'chak had told the boys to do which is dishonoring his parents as well as dishonoring God. We see that 'Esav made decisions based on the flesh and had no concern for the will of God as he married two women from the Hittites which was the strongest group in Canaan. We also see that he married a daughter of Yish'mael who was not the son of promise but Avraham's son of the flesh. In all of this we see that 'Esav is establishing his own people that are separate from the will of God and the promises of the covenant.

Genesis 36:6-8


'Esav took his wives, his sons and daughters, the others in his household, his cattle and other animals and everything else he owned, which he had acquired in the land of Kena'an, and went off to a country distant from his brother Ya'akov. For their possessions had become too great for them to live together, and the countryside through which they were traveling couldn't support so much livestock. So 'Esav lived in the hill-country of Se'ir. ('Esav is Edom.)


We see that 'Esav prospered and the land of Canaan could not support both his wealth and that of Israel so 'Esav left Israel to live in Se'ir. This is significant in that we see, in Ezekiel 35, that the Messiah is going to destroy that area.

Genesis 36:9-19


This is the genealogy of 'Esav the father of Edom in the hill-country of Se'ir. The names of 'Esav's sons were Elifaz, son of 'Adah the wife of 'Esav, and Re'u'el the son of Basmat the wife of 'Esav. The sons of Elifaz were Teman, Omar, Tzefo, Ga'tam and K'naz. Timnah was the concubine of Elifaz 'Esav's son, and she bore to Elifaz 'Amalek. These were the descendants of 'Adah 'Esav's wife. The sons of Re'u'el were Nachat, Zerach, Shammah and Mizah. These were the sons of Basmat 'Esav's wife. These were the sons of Oholivamah, the daughter of 'Anah the daughter of Tziv'on, 'Esav's wife: she bore to 'Esav Ye'ush, Ya'lam and Korach. The chieftains of the sons of 'Esav were the sons of Elifaz the firstborn of 'Esav and the chieftains of Teman, Omar, Tzefo, K'naz, Korach, Ga'tam and 'Amalek. These were the chieftains descended from Elifaz in Edom and from 'Adah. The sons of Re'u'el 'Esav's son were the chieftains of Nachat, Zerach, Shammah and Mizah. These were the chieftains descended from Re'u'el in the land of Edom and from Basmat 'Esav's wife. The sons of Oholivamah 'Esav's wife were the chieftains of Ye'ush, Ya'lam and Korach. These were the chieftains descended from Oholivamah the daughter of 'Anah, 'Esav's wife. These were the descendants of 'Esav (that is, Edom), and these were their chieftains.


We see that, in Se'ir the family of Edom grows and we also see a change in the name of the land from Se'ir to Edom which indicates that he had basically conquered the entire land of Se'ir. In the list of descendants, we see the Amalekites and, as we will see in the book of Exodus, they were the first group to attack Israel as they left Egypt.

Genesis 36:20-30


These were the descendants of Se'ir the Hori, the local inhabitants: Lotan, Shoval, Tziv'on, 'Anah, Dishon, Etzer and Dishan. They were the chieftains descended from the Hori, the people of Se'ir in the land of Edom. The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; Lotan's sister was Timnah. The sons of Shoval were 'Alvan, Manachat, 'Eival, Sh'fo and Onam. The sons of Tziv'on were Ayah and 'Anah. This is the 'Anah who found the hot springs in the desert while pasturing his father Tziv'on's donkeys. The children of 'Anah were Dishon and Oholivamah the daughter of 'Anah. The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Yitran and K'ran. The sons of Etzer were Bilhan, Za'avan and 'Akan. The sons of Dishan were 'Utz and Aran. These were the chieftains descended from the Hori: the chieftains of Lotan, Shoval, Tziv'on, 'Anah, Dishon, Etzer and Dishan. They were the chieftains descended from the Hori by their clans in Se'ir.


In this passage, there is a mistranslation as the word translated as "hot springs" is actually an ancient Hebrew word for mule and we see that 'Anah figured out how to intermingle the animal breeds to come up with what we call a mule. This mingling the breeds was clearly against the order of God.

Genesis 36:31-39


Following are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king had reigned over the people of Isra'el. Bela the son of B'or reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhavah. When Bela died, Yovav the son of Zerach from Botzrah reigned in his place. When Husham died, Hadad the son of B'dad, who killed Midyan in the field of Mo'av, reigned in his place; the name of his city was 'Avit. When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. When Samlah died, Sha'ul of Rechovot-by-the-River reigned in his place. When Sha'ul died, Ba'al-Chanan the son of 'Akhbor reigned in his place. When Ba'al-Chanan died, Hadar reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pa'u; and his wife's name was M'heitav'el the daughter of Matred the daughter of Mei-Zahav.


We see in this list that Botzrah is mentioned and that is another place that Messiah is going to destroy in the last days. We also see the "land of Temani" which is the modern country of Yemen. We are seeing a pattern with places that describe the Muslim world of today.

Genesis 36:40-43


These are the names of the chieftains descended from 'Esav, according to their clans, places and names: the chieftains of Timna, 'Alvah, Y'tet, Oholivamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mivtzar, Magdi'el and 'Iram. These were the chieftains of Edom according to their settlements in the land they owned. This is 'Esav the father of Edom.


In this list, we see the leaders of the earthly kingdom that Edom had set up and they are opposed to the children of Israel and the will of God.