GENESIS 36
These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). 2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. 4 And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom.) 9 These are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 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 are the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These are the sons of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. – Genesis 36:1-9
GENESIS 36 ESAU MOVES AWAY FROM JACOB
In this account, we witness God’s faithfulness in keeping his covenant promise to Abraham. Esau was Abraham’s grandson and Jacob’s twin brother. Esau is also called Edom meaning “red.” His hair was red but it also parallels his redness to the red lentil pottage that he sold his birthright for. It is from Edom that the Edomites became a nation.
When Rebekah was about to give birth, the Lord revealed to her the two nations in her womb. We see that in this story, we find Jacob (also called Israel) formed his nation with his twelve sons. Edom also had to leave Canaan because Jacob and his livestock couldn’t be all contained in one place. They were so big in number. Thus, the promise of God to multiply them is clearly evident here.
We are introduced here to Esau’s offspring through his wives from Canaanites which formed the nation of the Edomites.
REFLECTION
- Why do you think God separated Esau from Jacob in this account?
