QT 11/26/2025 Gen 36:1-16, Historical facts about Edom

Genesis 36:1–16 (ESV) —

1 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.

15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: the chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek; these are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah.

 

NOTE: Esau is also blessed, as can be seen by his large family and his large possessions. Esau chooses to leave the promised land and dwell in the hill country to the south. The land was given to Jacob, not by Isaac, but by God. The promised seed, the blessing to the whole world is now carried by the family of Israel. Was Esau correct in leaving? I don't know. Edom disappears in time, but Israel remains today. Was Esau's choice wrong. No, it was God's will to use the second child, not the first born to Isaac.

 

God fulfilled his promise to Isaac. He actually blessed both of his sons. Kings came from both. But one family, the slightly smaller one at this point, is the most important for the history of the world.

 

How does this apply? I've never got a lot out of genealogies, although they are interesting. It does provide a tremendous historical basis for scripture. The amount of names recorded by Moses is amazing. The stories are not myth but history.

 

PONDER:

How do I feel about the stories of Genesis? Do I believe they are historical fact?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for your truth. You have provided a history of salvation to the world that is complete in what is important. It is up to us to read and obey.