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Génesis 36

VBL · Chapter 36/50

1La siguiente es la genealogía de Esaú (también llamado Edom).

2Esaú se casó con dos mujeres cananeas: Ada, hija de Elón el hitita, y Aholibama, hija de Aná, y nieta de Zibeón el heveo.

3Además se casó también con Basemat, hija de Ismael, y hermana de Nebayot.

4Adah tuvo un hijo para Esaú llamado Elifaz. Basemath tuvo a Reuel.

5Aholibama tuvo a Jeús, Jalán y Coré. Estos fueron los hijos de Esaú, que le nacieron en Canaán.

6Esaú tomó a sus esposas, hijos e hijas, y a todos los de su casa, junto con su ganado, todos sus otros animales y todas las posesiones que había ganado mientras estaba en Canaán, y se fue a vivir a un país lejano de su hermano Jacob.

7Lo hizo porque la tierra en la que vivían no podía mantenerlos a ambos con todo su ganado.

8Esaú se estableció en la región montañosa de Seír.

9La siguiente es la genealogía de Esaú, padre de los edomitas, que vivía en las colinas de Seír:

10Estos eran los nombres de los hijos de Esaú: Elifaz, hijo de la esposa de Esaú, Ada, y Reuel, hijo de la esposa de Esaú, Basemath.

11Los hijos de Elifaz eran: Teman, Omar, Zefo, Gatam y Cenaz.

12Timna, la concubina del hijo de Esaú, Elifaz, tenía a Amalec como hijo de Elifaz. Estos eran los descendientes de la esposa de Esaú, Ada.

13Estos fueron los hijos de Reuel: Najat, Zera, Sama y Mizá. Eran los descendientes de Basemat, la esposa de Esaú.

14Estos fueron los hijos de la esposa de Esaú, Aholibama, hija de Aná y nieta de Zibeón, a quien tuvo con Esaú: Jeús, Jalam y Coré.

15Estos fueron los jefes de las tribus de los hijos de Esaú. Los jefes de las tribus de los hijos de Elifaz (el primogénito de Esaú) eran Temán, Omar, Zefo, Quenaz,

16Coré, Gatán y Amalec. Fueron los jefes de las tribus de Elifaz en el país de Edom, y eran los descendientes de Ada.

17Estos fueron los hijos del hijo de Esaú, Reuel: los líderes de las tribus Najat, Zera, Sama y Mizá. Fueron los jefes de las tribus descendientes de Reuel en el país de Edom, y eran los descendientes de la esposa de Esaú, Basemath.

18Estos fueron los hijos de la esposa de Esaú Aholibama: los jefes de las tribus Jeús, Jalán y Coré; fueron los jefes de las tribus descendientes de la esposa de Esaú Aholibama, hija de Aná.

19Todos ellos eran hijos de Esaú (también llamado Edom), y fueronlos jefes de sus tribus.

20Estos fueron los hijos de Seír el horeo, que vivían en el país: Lotán, Sobal, Zibeón, Aná,

21Disón, Ezer y Disán; eran los jefes de la tribu de los horeos, los descendientes de Seír en la tierra de Edom.

22Los hijos de Lotán fueron Hori y Hemam. Timna era la hermana de Lotan.

23Estos fueron los hijos de Sobal: Alvánn, Manajat, Ebal, Sefó y Onam.

24Estos fueron los hijos de Zibeón: Ayá y Aná. (Este fue el mismo Aná que descubrió las fuentes termales en el desierto mientras cuidaba los asnos de su padre Zibeón).

25Estos fueron los hijos de Aná: Disón y Aholibamah, hija de Aná.

26Estos fueron los hijos de Disón: Hemdán, Esbán, Itrán y Querán.

27Estos fueron los hijos de Ezer: Bilán, Zaván y Acán.

28Estos fueron los hijos de Disán: Uz y Arán.

29Estos fueron los jefes de las tribus de los horeos: Lotán, Sobal, Zibeón, Anaá

30Disón, Ezer y Disán. Eran los jefes de las tribus de los horeos, listados según sus tribus en el país de Seír.

31Estos fueron los reyes que gobernaban en la tierra de Edom antes de que hubiera un rey que gobernara sobre los israelitas:

32Bela, hijo de Beor, gobernaba en Edom y el nombre de su ciudad era Dinaba.

33Cuando murió Bela, Jobab, hijo de Zera de Bosra, asumió el cargo de rey.

34Cuando murió Jobab, Jusán, de la tierra de los temanitas, asumió el cargo de rey.

35Cuando murió Husam, Hadad, hijo de Bedad, asumió el cargo de rey. Fue él quien derrotó a los madianitas en el país de Moab, y el nombre de su ciudad era Avit.

36Cuando murió Hadad, Samla de Masreca se hizo cargo de la corona.

37Cuando Samla murió, Saúl de Rejobot en el Éufrates se hizo cargo como rey.

38Cuando Saúl murió, Baal Janán, hijo de Acbor, se hizo cargo como rey.

39Cuando Baal Janán, hijo de Acbor, murió, Hadad se hizo cargo como rey. El nombre de su pueblo era Pau, y el nombre de su esposa era Mehitabel. Yera hija de Matred, hija de Mezab.

40Estos fueron los nombres de los jefes de las tribus descendientes de Esaú, según sus familias y el lugar donde vivían, enumerados por nombre: los jefes de las tribus Timná, Alvá, Jetet,

41Aholibamah, Elá, Pinón,

42Quenaz, Temán, Mibzar,

43Magdiel e Iram. Estos fueron los jefes de las tribus de Edom, listados según los lugares donde vivían en el país. Esaú fue el antepasado de los edomitas.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

The extensive genealogy of Esau and his descendants, who became the Edomites, is presented, including the list of kings who ruled Edom before there were kings in Israel.

Explanation

Although mainly a genealogical list, this chapter fulfills an important role in the structure of the book: it formally 'closes out' the line of Esau before the narrative focuses exclusively on Jacob and his descendants in the final chapters. This follows a common pattern in Genesis, where the genealogy of the secondary line (such as Ishmael's in chapter 25) is documented and then set aside, so the main focus can follow the line of promise. The mention that Edom already had kings 'before there reigned any king over the children of Israel' (v. 31) is an editorial note showing that the text of Genesis, though dealing with ancient events, was arranged or finalized at a later period, when Israel already had its own monarchy. The lesson here is subtle: even those outside the main line of promise receive recognition, dignity, and a recorded place in God's history.

Fun facts

  • Edom, the nation descended from Esau, occupied the mountainous region southeast of the Dead Sea, and would maintain a long and complex history of conflicts and alliances with Israel, documented in later books such as Numbers, 2 Samuel, and Obadiah.
  • The observation that Edom had kings before Israel did (v. 31) is one of the few moments in Genesis that appears to reflect a later editorial perspective, likely from the era of the Israelite monarchy, showing how the final text of the book was carefully compiled over time.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Génesis 36:1The text makes it explicit “who is Edom” — Esau and Edom are the same person and the same people. The name Edom, meaning red, had already appeared earlier tied to the red stew Esau traded for his birthright; this chapter lists his descendants, who form the nation of Edom, Israel’s neighbor and later rival.
  2. Génesis 36:2The names of Esau’s Canaanite wives here — Adah and Aholibamah — do not exactly match those given in 26:34, where Judith and Bashemath appeared. It is quite likely these are the same women under alternate names, something common at the time, but the text does not clarify this directly.
  3. Génesis 36:3This Bashemath is described as Ishmael’s daughter, the same woman called Mahalath in 28:9 — another case of a double name within Esau’s genealogy.
  4. Génesis 36:4The list of Esau’s sons begins here: Eliphaz, from Adah, and Reuel, from Bashemath — the two names who will lead the main branches of the future nation of Edom.
  5. Génesis 36:5Aholibamah completes the list with Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah — closing out the sons of Esau born to him in the land of Canaan, before the separation from Jacob.
  6. Génesis 36:6Esau takes his wives, sons, daughters, and all his substance, gotten in the land of Canaan, and goes into another country from the face of his brother Jacob — the practical reason is explained in the next verse.
  7. Génesis 36:7The riches of the two brothers were too great for them to dwell together — the same reason that had already separated Abraham and Lot, back in chapter 13.
  8. Génesis 36:8Esau dwells in mount Seir, and the text directly confirms the identification that will repeat throughout the chapter: Esau is Edom.
  9. Génesis 36:9A second line of descent begins here, now presenting Esau specifically as “the father of the Edomites” already settled in mount Seir.
  10. Génesis 36:10The names of the two main sons, Eliphaz and Reuel, are repeated here as a formal heading before the list goes deeper into Esau’s grandsons.
  11. Génesis 36:11Eliphaz’s sons — Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz — form the second generation of the line that will lead entire clans of Edom.
  12. Génesis 36:12Timna was Eliphaz’s “concubine,” not his wife — a socially recognized position at the time, with fewer rights than a wife, but whose children still counted in the family genealogy. That is why her son, Amalek, is listed normally alongside Esau’s other grandsons.
  13. Génesis 36:13Reuel’s sons — Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah — complete the other main branch of the genealogy, descended from Bashemath.
  14. Génesis 36:14The list repeats Aholibamah’s sons, Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah, now formally organized by mother within the genealogical scheme.
  15. Génesis 36:15From here the list shifts focus: instead of just sons, it now names “dukes,” meaning clan chiefs — beginning with Eliphaz’s descendants, Esau’s firstborn.
  16. Génesis 36:16Korah, Gatam, and Amalek complete the dukes descended from Eliphaz — among them is the name that gives rise to the future Amalekites, recurring enemies of Israel later in the Bible.
  17. Génesis 36:17The dukes descended from Reuel — Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah — form the second group of Edom’s clan chiefs.
  18. Génesis 36:18Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah appear again, now as dukes linked to Aholibamah, closing out the three main branches of Edomite leadership.
  19. Génesis 36:19The verse sums it all up: these are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes — reinforcing once more that Esau and Edom are one and the same.
  20. Génesis 36:20From here the list changes subject: it turns to describe the Horites, the people who already inhabited the land of Seir before the arrival of Esau’s line — beginning with Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, and Anah.
  21. Génesis 36:21Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan complete the list of Horite dukes, the original inhabitants of that mountainous land before it became Edom.
  22. Génesis 36:22Lotan’s children are Hori and Hemam, and his sister was Timna — the same woman who appears as Eliphaz’s concubine in verse 12, linking the native line of Seir to Esau’s family through marriage.
  23. Génesis 36:23Shobal’s children — Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam — continue detailing the local Horite clans.
  24. Génesis 36:24“The mules” is an uncertain translation: the original Hebrew word is rare, appearing only here in the entire Bible, and scholars disagree — it may indeed mean mules (a cross between horse and donkey) or it may refer to hot springs. The verse only means that Anah found something unusual while feeding his father Zibeon’s donkeys.
  25. Génesis 36:25Among Anah’s children is Aholibamah, the same woman who married Esau — showing that she came from the native Horite line, not only from the Canaanites in a broad sense.
  26. Génesis 36:26Dishon’s children — Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran — continue detailing the branches of the Horite family.
  27. Génesis 36:27Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan are the children of Ezer, another branch of this same native line of Seir.
  28. Génesis 36:28Uz and Aran close out the children of Dishan — the name Uz is also associated with the land of Job, though here it refers only to a person within this genealogy.
  29. Génesis 36:29The list sums up the Horite dukes by name — Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah — before completing it with the last three in the next verse.
  30. Génesis 36:30Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan close the list of Horite dukes, the native people who preceded the Edomites in Seir.
  31. Génesis 36:31This phrase, which speaks of a time before “any king” reigned over the children of Israel, looks forward in time — to the era of Israel’s kings, like Saul and David, who would only exist centuries after Jacob. It is one of the details showing that lists like this were compiled or revised much later than the events they record.
  32. Génesis 36:32The list of the kings of Edom begins here — Bela, son of Beor, is the first named, with his city Dinhabah. The previous verse already notes that this list covers kings before any king existed over Israel, suggesting the text was compiled or revised at a time when Israel already had a monarchy.
  33. Génesis 36:33Jobab of Bozrah succeeds Bela — the list follows a fixed pattern of “so-and-so died, so-and-so reigned in his stead,” without detailing how the transfers of power took place.
  34. Génesis 36:34Husham of the land of Temani succeeds Jobab on the throne of Edom.
  35. Génesis 36:35Hadad succeeds Husham, and receives an extra detail the other kings lack: mention that he smote Midian in the field of Moab.
  36. Génesis 36:36Samlah of Masrekah succeeds Hadad — another name in the sequence of kings without a fixed dynastic territory.
  37. Génesis 36:37Saul of Rehoboth by the river succeeds Samlah — the name is the same as Israel’s first king, but this is a completely different person, from Edom.
  38. Génesis 36:38This king of Edom shares his name with Israel’s first king, Saul — but here it is only coincidence: Edom already had kings long before Israel had its first.
  39. Génesis 36:39Hadar is the last king listed, and the only one whose wife’s name, Mehetabel, is recorded — an extra detail suggesting the list was written near the end of his reign, without yet knowing who would come next.
  40. Génesis 36:40After the kings, the list returns to naming Edom’s dukes by their places and by their names — beginning with Timnah, Alvah, and Jetheth.
  41. Génesis 36:41Aholibamah, Elah, and Pinon continue the final list of dukes, each associated with a region within Edomite territory.
  42. Génesis 36:42Kenaz, Teman, and Mibzar continue completing this final list of Edom’s clan chiefs.
  43. Génesis 36:43Magdiel and Iram close the list of dukes, and the chapter ends by restating the summary: this is Esau, the father of the Edomites.

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