1 Now these are the generations H8435 of Esau, H6215 who is Edom. H123
That in blessing H1288 I will bless H1288 thee, and in multiplying H7235 I will multiply H7235 thy seed H2233 as the stars H3556 of the heaven, H8064 and as the sand H2344 which is upon the sea H3220 shore; H8193 and thy seed H2233 shall possess H3423 the gate H8179 of his enemies; H341
And when her days H3117 to be delivered H3205 were fulfilled, H4390 behold, there were twins H8380 in her womb. H990 And the first H7223 came out H3318 red, H132 all over like an hairy H8181 garment; H155 and they called H7121 his name H8034 Esau. H6215 And after H310 that came H3318 his brother H251 out, H3318 and his hand H3027 took hold H270 on Esau's H6215 heel; H6119 and his name H8034 was called H7121 Jacob: H3290 and Isaac H3327 was threescore H8346 years H8141 old H1121 when she bare H3205 them. And the boys H5288 grew: H1431 and Esau H6215 was a cunning H3045 hunter, H6718 a man H376 of the field; H7704 and Jacob H3290 was a plain H8535 man, H376 dwelling H3427 in tents. H168 And Isaac H3327 loved H157 Esau, H6215 because he did eat H6310 of his venison: H6718 but Rebekah H7259 loved H157 Jacob. H3290 And Jacob H3290 sod H2102 pottage: H5138 and Esau H6215 came H935 from the field, H7704 and he was faint: H5889 And Esau H6215 said H559 to Jacob, H3290 Feed H3938 me, I pray thee, with H4480 that same H122 red H122 pottage; for I am faint: H5889 therefore was his name H8034 called H7121 Edom. H123 And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Sell H4376 me this day H3117 thy birthright. H1062 And Esau H6215 said, H559 Behold, I am at the point H1980 to die: H4191 and what profit shall this birthright H1062 do to me? And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Swear H7650 to me this day; H3117 and he sware H7650 unto him: and he sold H4376 his birthright H1062 unto Jacob. H3290 Then Jacob H3290 gave H5414 Esau H6215 bread H3899 and pottage H5138 of lentiles; H5742 and he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and rose up, H6965 and went his way: H3212 thus Esau H6215 despised H959 his birthright. H1062
And he said, H559 Thy brother H251 came H935 with subtilty, H4820 and hath taken away H3947 thy blessing. H1293 And he said, H559 Is not he rightly H3588 named H7121 H8034 Jacob? H3290 for he hath supplanted me H6117 these H2088 two times: H6471 he took away H3947 my birthright; H1062 and, behold, now he hath taken away H3947 my blessing. H1293 And he said, H559 Hast thou not reserved H680 a blessing H1293 for me? And Isaac H3327 answered H6030 and said H559 unto Esau, H6215 Behold, I have made H7760 him thy lord, H1376 and all his brethren H251 have I given H5414 to him for servants; H5650 and with corn H1715 and wine H8492 have I sustained H5564 him: and what shall I do H6213 now H645 unto thee, my son? H1121 And Esau H6215 said H559 unto his father, H1 Hast thou but one H259 blessing, H1293 my father? H1 bless H1288 me, even me also, O my father. H1 And Esau H6215 lifted up H5375 his voice, H6963 and wept. H1058 And Isaac H3327 his father H1 answered H6030 and said H559 unto him, Behold, thy dwelling H4186 shall be the fatness H4924 of the earth, H776 and of the dew H2919 of heaven H8064 from above; H5920 And by thy sword H2719 shalt thou live, H2421 and shalt serve H5647 thy brother; H251 and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, H7300 that thou shalt break H6561 his yoke H5923 from off thy neck. H6677 And Esau H6215 hated H7852 Jacob H3290 because H5921 of the blessing H1293 wherewith H834 his father H1 blessed him: H1288 and Esau H6215 said H559 in his heart, H3820 The days H3117 of mourning H60 for my father H1 are at hand; H7126 then will I slay H2026 my brother H251 Jacob. H3290
And Jacob H3290 sent H7971 messengers H4397 before him H6440 to Esau H6215 his brother H251 unto the land H776 of Seir, H8165 the country H7704 of Edom. H123 And he commanded H6680 them, saying, H559 Thus shall ye speak H559 unto my lord H113 Esau; H6215 Thy servant H5650 Jacob H3290 saith H559 thus, I have sojourned H1481 with Laban, H3837 and stayed there H309 until now: And I have oxen, H7794 and asses, H2543 flocks, H6629 and menservants, H5650 and womenservants: H8198 and I have sent H7971 to tell H5046 my lord, H113 that I may find H4672 grace H2580 in thy sight. H5869 And the messengers H4397 returned H7725 to Jacob, H3290 saying, H559 We came H935 to thy brother H251 Esau, H6215 and also he cometh H1980 to meet thee, H7125 and four hundred H3967 men H376 with him. Then Jacob H3290 was greatly H3966 afraid H3372 and distressed: H3334 and he divided H2673 the people H5971 that was with him, and the flocks, H6629 and herds, H1241 and the camels, H1581 into two H8147 bands; H4264
And Moses H4872 sent H7971 messengers H4397 from Kadesh H6946 unto the king H4428 of Edom, H123 Thus saith H559 thy brother H251 Israel, H3478 Thou knowest H3045 all the travail H8513 that hath befallen H4672 us: How our fathers H1 went down H3381 into Egypt, H4714 and we have dwelt H3427 in Egypt H4714 a long H7227 time; H3117 and the Egyptians H4714 vexed H7489 us, and our fathers: H1 And when we cried H6817 unto the LORD, H3068 he heard H8085 our voice, H6963 and sent H7971 an angel, H4397 and hath brought us forth H3318 out of Egypt: H4714 and, behold, we are in Kadesh, H6946 a city H5892 in the uttermost H7097 of thy border: H1366 Let us pass, H5674 I pray thee, through thy country: H776 we will not pass H5674 through the fields, H7704 or through the vineyards, H3754 neither will we drink H8354 of the water H4325 of the wells: H875 we will go H3212 by the king's H4428 high way, H1870 we will not turn H5186 to the right hand H3225 nor to the left, H8040 until we have passed H5674 thy borders. H1366 And Edom H123 said H559 unto him, Thou shalt not pass H5674 by me, lest I come out H3318 against H7125 thee with the sword. H2719 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto him, We will go H5927 by the high way: H4546 and if I and my cattle H4735 drink H8354 of thy water, H4325 then I will pay H5414 H4377 for it: I will only, without doing any thing H1697 else, go through H5674 on my feet. H7272 And he said, H559 Thou shalt not go through. H5674 And Edom H123 came out H3318 against H7125 him with much H3515 people, H5971 and with a strong H2389 hand. H3027 Thus Edom H123 refused H3985 to give H5414 Israel H3478 passage H5674 through his border: H1366 wherefore Israel H3478 turned away H5186 from him.
The sons H1121 of Esau; H6215 Eliphaz, H464 Reuel, H7467 and Jeush, H3266 and Jaalam, H3281 and Korah. H7141
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 36
Commentary on Genesis 36 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 36
Ge 36:1-43. Posterity of Esau.
1. these are the generations—history of the leading men and events (compare Ge 2:4).
Esau who is Edom—A name applied to him in reference to the peculiar color of his skin at birth [Ge 25:25], rendered more significant by his inordinate craving for the red pottage [Ge 25:30], and also by the fierce sanguinary character of his descendants (compare Eze 25:12; Ob 10).
2, 3. Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan—There were three, mentioned under different names; for it is evident that Bashemath is the same as Mahalath (Ge 28:9), since they both stand in the relation of daughter to Ishmael and sister to Nebajoth; and hence it may be inferred that Adah is the same as Judith, Aholibamah as Bathsemath (Ge 26:34). It was not unusual for women, in that early age, to have two names, as Sarai was also Iscah [Ge 11:29]; and this is the more probable in the case of Esau's wives, who of course would have to take new names when they went from Canaan to settle in mount Seir.
6, 7. Esau … went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob—literally, "a country," without any certain prospect of a settlement. The design of this historical sketch of Esau and his family is to show how the promise (Ge 27:39, 40) was fulfilled. In temporal prosperity he far exceeds his brother; and it is remarkable that, in the overruling providence of God, the vast increase of his worldly substance was the occasion of his leaving Canaan and thus making way for the return of Jacob.
8. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir—This was divinely assigned as his possession (Jos 24:4; De 2:5).
15-19. dukes—The Edomites, like the Israelites, were divided into tribes, which took their names from his sons. The head of each tribe was called by a term which in our version is rendered "duke"—not of the high rank and wealth of a British peer, but like the sheiks or emirs of the modern East, or the chieftains of highland clans. Fourteen are mentioned who flourished contemporaneously.
20-30. Sons of Seir, the Horite—native dukes, who were incorporated with those of the Edomite race.
24. This was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness—The word "mules" is, in several ancient versions, rendered "water springs"; and this discovery of some remarkable fountain was sufficient, among a wandering or pastoral people, to entitle him to such a distinguishing notice.
31-39. kings of Edom—The royal power was not built on the ruins of the dukedoms, but existed at the same time.
40-43. Recapitulation of the dukes according to their residences.