Studies In Genesis: Chapter 36 Series

Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.

Genesis 36:1-8 Esau's wives and their sons

Genesis 36

1. Now these [are] the generations of Esau, who [is] Edom.

So Esau is the same thing as Edom. Even their names are similar and interchangeable. Esau remember means? hairy and Edom means red. If you remember I told you that some people even say that Esau's name meant red.

This is important because now we see where the Edomites came from. Moses the author is writing this explaining this to the Israelites. He is giving them history.

Obadiah 1:1. The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation [is] high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

4 Though thou exalt [thyself] as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

Here we see what happens to the Edomites. This is why they are so evil in the later chapters. Is this similar to our first reaction of Esau.

Now we know that Esau was changed by the Lord. We know that he even forgave his brother and they lived in peace. Why do you think that his nation turned out to be so bad?

Let us look at the next two verses.

2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;

3 And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth.

He got daughters from the Canaanites. He got daughters from the Ishmaelites. We see these wives first mentioned in chapter 26 and then again chapter 28. But if you would notice their names are different. You will see this in scripture sometimes to where they are called one name in one place and another in another place. The custom was that when they got married they would change their names. Bashemath (26:34) is the same as Anah. Mahalath (28:9) was the same as Bashemath. Judith (28:9) is not similar to the name Aholibamah. Aholibamah may have been a replacement for Judith if she was barren or had died.

Now here is the reason why the Edomites were so bad. Esau married out of the chosen family. He married Canaanites and Ishmaelites. He married away from the family of God.

4 And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;

5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these [are] the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.

7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle.

8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau [is] Edom.

So now we see the children of Esau. We see how Esau grew. We also see another mention of Esau being Edom. What I would like us to notice is that is says that the land could not hold them. It was not big enough for the families. For God truly blessed both Jacob and Esau so much that they had probably began to interfere with each other. Do you remember any other two people parting company because of the vast amount of cattle? Lot and Abraham.

Let us notice where Esau went. He went to Seir which is out of the "promised land".

Genesis 36:9-14 Esau's sons and grandsons

9. And these [are] the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

10 These [are] the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

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

12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these [were] the sons of Adah Esau's wife.

Do you recognize Eliphaz and Timna's son? Amalek. Remember a group called the Amalekites. Oh what problems they caused the Israelites. And to think they were kin. Most everyone around were kin. They were Semites. They were from Abraham. But it was not in the blood of Abraham that made them good or bad but it was their relationship with the Lord.