(22) Timna.—Not the Timna mentioned in Genesis 36:12; for she is here described as sister of Lotan the brother of Zibeon, who was grandfather of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife. But the Timna mentioned there was the concubine of Esau’s grandson, and junior by four generations. read more
(24) Anah that found the mules.—Mules is the traditional rendering of the Jews; but as horses were at this date unknown in Palestine, Anah could not have discovered the art of crossing them with asses, and so producing mules. Jerome, moreover, says that “the word in Punic, a language allied to Hebrew, means hot springs;” and this translation is now generally adopted. Lange gives a list of hot springs in the Edomite region, of which those of Calirrhoe, “the stream of beauty,” in the Wady Zerka... read more
(31) The kings.—In the triumphal song of Moses on the Red Sea we still read of “dukes of Edom” (Exodus 15:15; but when Israel had reached the borders of their land, we find that Edom had then a king (Numbers 20:14). But in the list given here, no king succeeds his father, and probably these were petty monarchs, who sprang up in various parts of the country during a long period of civil war, in which the Horites were finally as completely conquered as were the Canaanites in Palestine under the... read more
(33) Jobab.—The LXX. identify him with Job, but on no probable grounds. read more
(35) Who smote Midian . . . —All memory of this exploit has passed away, and the complete silence of the Bible regarding every one of these kings, makes it probable that they belonged to an early date prior to the time in Israel when historical events were carefully recorded. read more
(37) Rehoboth by the river.—Heb., Rehoboth hannahar, Rehoboth-of-the-river, so called, perhaps, to distinguish it from Rehoboth-ir (Genesis 10:11). If the river is the Euphrates, this city was not on Edomite ground, and Saul probably reigned in Idumea by right of conquest. read more
(39) Hadar.—He is more correctly called Hadad in the Samaritan text here, and in the Hebrew also in 1 Chronicles 1:50. The two letters r and d are in Hebrew so much alike, that they are repeatedly confused with one another. As we have already observed (see Note on Genesis 36:1) he was probably alive when this catalogue of kings was drawn up. read more
(40) According to their families, after their places.—The final list of the dukes is said, both here and in Genesis 36:43, to be territorial, by which is meant, not that the persons mentioned were not real men, but that Edom finally settled down into eleven “thousands” named after these chieftains. So in Canaan the names of the sons of Jacob became those also of territorial divisions, two of which, however, were given to Joseph and his sons, while no district was called after Levi. What is... read more
X. THE GENERATIONS OF ESAU 1. Esau in Canaan, his wives and sons (Genesis 36:1-5 ) 2. Esau leaving Canaan and in Edom (Genesis 36:6-8 ) XI. THE GENERATIONS OF ESAU IN MOUNT SEIR 1. Sons of Esau (Genesis 36:9-10 ) 2. Sons of Eliphaz (Genesis 36:11-12 ) 3. Sons of Reuel (Genesis 36:13 ) 4. Sons of Aholibamah (Genesis 36:14 ) 5. Dukes of Eliphaz (Genesis 36:15-16 ) 6. Dukes of Reuel (Genesis 36:17 ) 7. Dukes of Jeush (Genesis 36:18 ) 8. Dukes of Horite and kings of Edom... read more
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Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 36:20
(20) The sons of Seir the Horite.—This genealogy is given partly because it contains that of Aholibamah, but chiefly because the Horites were in time fused with the descendants of Esau, and together formed the Edomites. read more