Genesis 36
Esau married three Canaanite womenverses 1-5
Now these are the generations of Esau – who is Edom
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
And Basemath – Ishmael’s daughter – sister of Nebajoth
Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz – and Basemath bare – Reuel
and Aholibamah bare Jeush – Jalam – Korah
these are the sons of Esau
who were born unto him in the land of Canaan
Esau moved away from Jacobverses 6-8
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 gotten in the land of Canaan
and went into the country from the face of his brother – Jacob
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
THUS dwelt Esau in Mount Seir – Esau is Edom
Esau’s descendentsverses 9-14
And these are the generations of Esau the father of the
Edomites in Mount Seir – 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
And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman – Omar – Zapho
Gatam – Kenaz
And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son
and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek
these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife
And these are the sons of Reuel
Nahath – Zerah – Shammah – Mizzah
these were the sons of Basemath Esau’s wife
And these were the sons of Aholibamah – the daughter of Anah
the daughter of Zibeon – Esau’s wife
and she bore to Esau Jeush – Jalam – Korah
Dukes of Esauverses 15-19
These were DUKES of the sons of Esau
the sons of Eliphaz the first-born son of Esau
DUKES Teman – Omar – Zepho – Kenaz – Korah – Gatam – Amalek
these are the DUKES that came of Eliphaz in the
land of Edom – these were the sons of Adah
And these are the sons of Reuel Esau’s son
DUKES Nahath – Zerah – Shammah – Mizzah
these are the DUKES that came of Reuel
in the land of Edom
these are the sons of Basemath Esau’s wife
And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau’s wife
DUKES Jeush – Jalam – Korah
these were the DUKES that came of Aholibamah
the daughter of Anah – Esau’s wife
These are the sons of Esau – who is Edom
and these are their DUKES
Sons of Seir the Horiteverses 20-30
These are the sons of Seir the Horite – who inhabited the land
Lotan – Shobal – Zibeon – Anah – Dishon – Ezer – Dishan
these are the DUKES of the Horites
the children of Seir in the land of Edom
And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam
and Lotan’s sister was Timna
And the children of Shobal were these
Alvan – Manahath – Ebal – Shepho – Onam
And these are the children of Zibeon
both Ajah and Anah – this was that Anah that found the mules
in the wilderness – as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father
And the children of Anah were these
Dishon – Aholibamah the daughter of Anah
and these are the children of Dishon
Hemdan – Eshban – Ithran – Cheran
The children of Ezer are these
Bilhan – Zaavan – Akan
The children of Dishan are these
Uz – Aran
These are the DUKES that came of the Horites
Lotan – Shobal – Zibeon – Anah – Dishon – Ezer – Dishan
these are the DUKES that came of Hori
among their DUKES in the land of Seir
Kings of Edomverses 31-39
And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom
BEFORE there reigned any king over the children of Israel
And Bela – the son of Beor – reigned in Edom
and the name of his city was Dinhabah – and Bela died
and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah – reigned in his stead
and Jobab died – and Husham of the land of Temani
reigned in his stead
and Husham died – and Hadad the son of Bedad
who smote Midian in the field of Moab
reigned in his stead
and the name of his city was Avith
and Hadad died
and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead
and Samlah died
and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead
and Saul died
and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead
and Baalhanan the son of Achbor died
and Hadar reigned in his stead
and the name of his city was Pau
and his wife’s name was Mehetabeil
the daughter of Matred – the daughter of Mezahab
Esau the father of the Edomitesverses 40-43
And these are the names of the DUKES that came of Esau
according to their families – after their places – by their names
DUKE Timna – Alvah – Jetheth – Aholibamah – Elah
Pinon – Kenaz – Teman – Mibzar – Magdiel – Iram
these are the DUKES of Edom
according to their habitations in the land of their possession
he is Esau the father of the Edomites
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 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. (801 “wives” [’ishshah] means married woman, a man’s partner in marriage, female, wife, or harem)
DEVOTION: When the Bible talks about marriage it is always between a man and a woman or a man and a number of women.
Again we see that it is emphasized that Esau took wives from the daughters of Canaan. This is making a statement regarding their religious activities. They were worshipers of false gods. They didn’t honor the LORD of Abraham and Isaac.
So we find that once Esau made a choice of a bride it affected the future of his children from a religious point of view. Marriage between those who are followers of the LORD and those who are not seems to be emphasized in many places in the Word of God.
It has negative results most of the time. The children follow in the parent’s position. So it is very important to make sure that those who are followers of the LORD marry individuals who love the LORD.
Now there is also the fact that it seems that believers tend to follow the example of unbelievers from the beginning. The descendants of Cain started the marriage between a man and more than one wife.
Abraham had more than one wife. Isaac had one wife. Jacob had four wives. Here we have Esau with three wives. There is confusion in many of these marriages.
Today the New Testament informs us that we are to be the husband of one wife if we want to be in leadership in the church. Many of those who are converted in other countries have more than one wife and the missionaries have to deal with this issue. Some handle it well and others do not.
Our culture seems to be going the way of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, in that, they are not obeying the teachings of the Word of God regarding one man and one woman. Also there is not to be any relationships outside of marriage of a sexual nature.
God sets an example of purity before the church and this has to be taught even today. One man married to one woman for life is God’s standard. Divorce was only given because of the hardness of the heart of man. It should be avoided at all costs. Separation may be necessary for a believer but remarriage should be taken to the LORD in prayer.
CHALLENGE: When we say the wedding vows we should try to work out any problems with the help of the LORD. Even unfaithfulness can be forgiven by the LORD and a spouse. God wants purity!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 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. (4033 “strangers” [maguwr] means pilgrimage, sojourning place, wanderings, stopover place, alien citizens, or living as an alien)
DEVOTION: Here are two brothers who had to separate into different areas because their possessions became too great for them to live together. There was not enough land for the animals to have enough grass to eat.
There was also the problem of the people who lived in the land before they got there with their father Isaac. They needed to support their animals on the grass of the fields and the water that was in the wells.
Moving was a part of life it seemed to these individuals. However, Esau established a kingdom in the area of mount Seir. All his descendants found enough land around this mountain to support their cattle. They also didn’t have to move because of other people being in the area. In the future we will see what happens with the descendants of Esau or Edom.
There is also the fact that Israel worshiped the LORD and Esau didn’t so this causes another reason for separation. It is important that those who live together share the same faith.
Today it is true to even sometimes in the places we work on a daily basis. There can be disagreement with the policies of our places of employment with the commands of the LORD. We have to be sure we can honor the LORD in whatever profession we chose to follow. If we can’t honor the LORD then we need to pick a different location to work.
CHALLENGE: Remember that God’s standards should be put before any choices we make in our daily life.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 24 And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. (3222 “mules” [yem] means a warm spring, hot springs, a body of water or a large mammal.
DEVOTION: This chapter is a chapter of generations. We have the families of Esau. We find that Esau was the father of the Edomites. We find that he lived in Mount Seir.
Esau moved away from where Jacob or Israel lived because there was no more room for the animals. Their wealth had grown. They both had children. This chapter gives a list of the children of Esau. They started new cities. They lived in the mountain of Seir.
Esau formed a nation called Edomites. When we see the name in the future of Israel they don’t show a good relationship to the Israelites.
In the future history of the children of Israel, we find that they still were not treating their relative right. Here are cousins who don’t love each other. There is fighting going on for generations.
This verse is found in the middle of the generations. The better translation seems to be that Anah found a hot spring in the desert while feeding his father’s animals. Sometimes we go someplace to do a certain job and find something we didn’t expect. Anah didn’t expect to find these hot springs. That seems to be a better discovery than some mules.
Sometimes with more research we can find a better translation for some words. Does that mean that there is an error in the Bible? NO!! The Bible is without errors in the original writings, which are Hebrew and Greek. There are some people who don’t want to do more research. There are some who don’t like to use manuscripts that have been found recently. We have to be open to the best manuscripts.
There are new Biblical finds happening still. They are finding old scrolls in the Promised Land and in other places that help us understand the Bible words better. Some think that there is only one translation that is right. When we compare translations, we need to study the original languages in each ancient manuscript to understand word meanings.
While studying these word meanings, none of the changes affect a Biblical doctrine. There are some translations that are bad.
We are still finding new manuscripts to help us find out the meanings of some words. Does any retranslation change any major doctrine of the Bible? NO!! Trust our Bible!!! We need to believe sound doctrine.
CHALLENGE: Research in the original languages is important. Use a concordance. There are many good tools to help in studying the Bible.
: 31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel. (4427 “reigned” [malak] means to be the king, rule, to install someone as king, install, or have a coronation)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel were ruled by a Theocracy. That means that the Edomite’s had humans as their kings or rulers. A theocracy was when God ruled over a people though HIS personal instructions to them either through personal contact with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or through the use of a prophet who would come with a message from the LORD.
There were no human rulers over the children of Israel until the time of Saul the first king of Israel. The children of Israel wanted a human to rule them rather than God because all the people around them had human kings.
We are supposed to honor the human rulers over us by praying for them on a regular basis but we are still supposed to honor the LORD more than human rulers.
Human rulers can tell us to disobey the laws of the LORD and then we need to obey the LORD over human rulers. Today that is become more and more of a challenge especially for those who are genuine believers in the military who have the government telling them not to mention the name of Jesus. The government trying to redefine marriage, so that, it breaks the chaplains promise to God and those he came into the service to represent.
We need to be praying for believers who are in fields of work that causes them to be confronted with the challenge of whether to obey God or man. The answer is God always but that becomes harder and harder.
We need a witness in all fields of work. Our country offers freedom of religion but they are trying to change it to freedom to worship. Please pray for our nation and the decisions that are being made.
CHALLENGE: Pray for men and women to stand firm in their commitment to the LORD no matter what.
:40 And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names: (4725 “places” [maqowm] means 1 standing place, place. 1a standing place, station, post, office. 1b place, place of human abode. 1c city, land, region. 1d place, locality, spot. 1e space, room, distance. 1f region, quarter, direction. 1g give place to, instead of. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: The world today is consumed by wars about territory and land. One only has to look quickly at the news to find out what happened in the latest war. This includes most of the Middle East as well. Especially when it comes to the nation of Israel, its neighboring states have been all too willing to seek to abolish it and take over its territory.
It is interesting that God was the one who said He chose to give nations their dwelling places. This includes all the people groups in the world. This is an age when one can travel to almost any part of the world and see the people there firsthand. The United Nations is composed of almost 200 different countries. Many of those are countries where the name of Jesus Christ is not mentioned or where persecution for His name is present.
The only solution to all the world conflicts is for people to come to know Jesus Christ as Lord. That means that His children need to be about the business of fulfilling the great commission, to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). This can be accomplished by getting to know about other peoples of the world, and by being consistent prayer warriors for these people as well as the missionaries who are working among them. We are all capable of praying for at least one people group in the world, and praying consistently for them.
CHALLENGE: What country or people group are you willing to pray will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Pick one today!
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Esau = Edomverses 1-43
Took wives of daughters of Canaan
Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite
Aholibamah daughter of Zibeon the Hivite
Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter
Many sons and daughters
Dwelt in mount Seir
Called Edomites
Father of the Edomites
Ishmaelverse 3
Separation of Israel from Esauverse 7
Mount Seir dwelling of Esauverse 8
Descendants of Esauverses 9-43
Had king before children of Israelverse 31
Killed Midian in field of Moabverse 35
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Blessing of richesverse 7
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jacobverse 6
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
36:1–8. These verses give the ṯôleḏôṯ of Esau. He had three wives: Adah … Oholibamah, and Basemath. Since two of these wives’ names are not the same as those listed earlier (26:34; 28:9), either the others had died or he favored these three among his six or the two took different names.
Oholibamah was a great-grand-daughter of Seir the Horite, whose descendants were living in Edom when Esau went there (36:20, 25). From these three wives Esau had five sons.
The narrative stresses two elements. First, Esau’s sons were born in the land (Canaan, v. 5) before he moved to Seir (v. 8). This contrasts sharply with Jacob, whose children were born out of the land, and who then moved into the land. Second, Esau was Edom. In fact all through the chapter the reader is reminded of this. Certainly Israel would understand the import of this because she often struggled with the Edomites (cf. Obad.), Esau’s descendants (Gen. 36:43).
The wording in verse 7 is striking. One thinks of Lot: the land was not able to bear both of them because their herds were so great (cf. 13:5–6). Esau, like Lot, left for the East and greener land (cf. 13:8–12). (Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 85). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Genesis 36 is a long chapter containing many names, but it’s the end of the story as far as Esau is concerned! The Edomites are named in the Old Testament only because they’re a part of the story of Israel. “Esau” and “Edom,” the avowed enemies of the Jews, are mentioned over two hundred times in the Bible, but “Jacob” and “Israel” are found over two thousand times! Esau’s son Eliphaz was the father of Amalek, and the Amalekites were also Israel’s enemies (Ex. 17:8–16; Num. 14:39–45; Deut. 25:17–19; 1 Sam. 15). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be authentic (pp. 74–75). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
Ver. 8. Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir, &c.] Before he is said to be in the land of Seir, ch. 32:3 now to dwell in a mount of that name; from which driving the Horites, he seized upon and dwelt in it; it had not its name from his own rough, shaggy hair, as Josephus says, much less from the satyrs, and hairy demons that frequented it, as R. Abraham Sebas, but rather from Seir the Horite who inhabited the land, ver. 20 unless he had his name from the mountain which might be so called, from its being rough and rugged like shaggy hair, and being covered with bushes and brambles which carried such a resemblance; and so it stands opposed to Mount Halak near it, Josh. 11:17 which signifies the bald or smooth mountain, being destitute of shrubs, &c. The Targum of Jonathan calls this mountain Mount Gabla, and one part of the land of Edom, or Idumea, was called Gobolites, as Josephus relates, perhaps the same with Gebal, Psal. 83:7 hither Esau went and took up his residence, after things were amicably adjusted between him and his brother Jacob; the Jews say, that Isaac left all he had to his two sons, and that after they had buried him, Esau said to Jacob, let us divide what our father has left us into two parts, and I will choose because I am the first-born; so Jacob divided it into two parts; all that his father had left he made one part, and the land of Israel the other part, and Esau took what his father left, see ver. 6 and the land of Israel and the cave of Machpelah he delivered to Jacob, and they drew up everlasting writings between them. Now this or something like it being the case, and those the circumstances of things, thus, and by that means, so it came to pass, that Esau dwelt in Seir; and Jacob remained secure and quiet in the land of Canaan; Esau in Edom, so called from the red pottage he had of Jacob, which is repeated to fix the odium of that transaction upon him, as well as for the sake of what follows, shewing the reason why his posterity were called Edomites. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 234). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
v. 6–8. The sentence that was left incomplete in v. 2 is now resumed and completed. His departure from Kenaan is ascribed to the abounding wealth of himself and his brother. What remained in the hands of Isaac was virtually Jacob’s, though he had not yet entered into formal possession of it. Mount Seir is the range of hills extending from the Elanitic gulf to the Salt sea; the northern part of which is called Jebal (Γεβαλήνη), and the southern part esh Sherah, and parallel to which on the west lies Wady Arabah. In this range is situated the celebrated rock city, Sela or Petra, adjacent to Mount Hor. (Murphy, J. G. (1863). A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Genesis (p. 495). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
6–8.] The cause of Esau’s removal to Mount Seir apparently operated after Jacob’s full return to Hebron, and taking possession, in his father’s extreme old age, of all that was Isaac’s; and we have here recorded not the cause of Esau’s first dwelling at Seir, but that of his final and entire removal. Jacob was the acknowledged head of the house, and the swarm cast off was that of the really elder, but now by force of circumstances become the younger brother.
cattle and beasts, as often before, the former being the sheep and kine, the latter the beasts of burden, asses and camels.
the country] Heb. the land = went forth; hardly as Kalisch, “into another country.”
Mount Seir is the mountain ridge extending along the east side of the valley of Arabah, from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf, The name signifies rough, or rugged. “The view from Aaron’s tomb on Hor, the centre of Mount Seir, is enough to shew its appropriateness. The sharp and serrated ridges, the jagged rocks and cliffs, the straggling bushes and stunted trees, give the whole scene a sternness and ruggedness almost unparalleled.” Mr. Grove, Biblical Dict., whose art. see. (Alford, H. (1872). The Book of Genesis and Part of the Book of Exodus (pp. 159–160). London: Strahan & Co.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Esther 2
Esther wins the king’s favor and is chosen to become queen.
INSIGHT
Abraham, Moses, David, and Esther are all living lives of obscurity when God chooses them. He uses them for great things because they are faithful to Him in the little things. While not all of us are destined to do incredible things in the eyes of man, greatness in the eyes of God is simply being faithful to Him the best way we know how. God has not forgotten about us; His eye is on us. And He will use us–even if only in seemingly “small” ways. (Quiet Walk)
The Good Seed
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11)
The Word of God is pictured by many beautiful symbols in the Scriptures, and perhaps one of the most meaningful is that of the seed sown in the field of the world by the great sower, the Lord Jesus Christ. The first reference to seed sowing in the Bible is in the story of Isaac, who “sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him” (Genesis 26:12).
Now Isaac himself was the “seed” of God’s promise to Abraham, and he was a precursive fulfillment of the ultimate promised “seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). Isaac’s sowing of literal seed in the land of the Philistines is thus a type of Christ’s sowing of spiritual seed throughout the world. As Isaac’s sowing brought forth a hundredfold, so the beautiful parable of the sower indicates that at least some of the seed “fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold” (Luke 8:8).
Although not all seed will come to fruition, it must be sown throughout the world. Some of the seed will bear fruit, for God has said “that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be…it shall not return unto me void” (Isaiah 55:10-11). “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23).
The first of Christ’s parables is this parable of the sower. The second, complementing the first, indicates that the seed is not only God’s Word but also God’s children—those regenerated through the Word. “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom” (Matthew 13:37-38). Thus, we also become sowers of the Word, witnessing to the world and bearing good fruit in His name. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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