Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom ,.... Which had its name from Esau, who was so called, Genesis 25:30 . From hence, to the end of the chapter, an account is given of the kings and dukes of Edom, in the same order as in Genesis 30:31 . read more
Before any king reigned over - Israel - See Genesis 36:31 ; (note), etc., where the same verses occur, as I have supposed borrowed from this place; and see the notes there. Bela the son of Beor - "Balaam the impious son of Beor, the same as Laban the Syrian, who formed a confederacy with the sons of Esau, to destroy Jacob and his children; and he studied to destroy them utterly. Afterwards he reigned in Sodom; and the name of his royal city was Dinhabah, because it... read more
Bela was dead - "Being killed by Phineas, in the wilderness." - T. Jobab the son of Zerah - Supposed by some to be the same as Job, whose book forms a part of the canon of Scripture. But in their names there is no similarity; Job being written איוב aiyob ; Jobab, יובב yobab . See the notes on Job, and the parallel place in Genesis. read more
Smote Midian - Nothing is known of this war. read more
By the river - "Shaul of Plathiutha, a great city, built on the banks of the Euphrates." - T. read more
Daughter of Mezahab - This word זהב מי mey zahab , is literally the golden waters; or What is gold? The Targumist paraphrases thus: "Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, was so earnest and diligent in business that she became immensely rich; but when she was converted, she said, What is this silver, and What is this gold? That is, They are of no real worth. read more
G. LIST OF KINGS OF EDOM . These verses contain a list of kings who reigned in Edom , during a period expressly notified as anterior to the institution of kings in Israel. Some further point of practical use than has been yet ascertained may lie in the preservation of these snatches of Edom's history. Something surely hangs on the emphatic but otherwise gratuitous statement, that kings were unknown in Israel when this line reigned in Edom. It may turn out to cover the fulfilment of... read more
It is not impossible that this Jobab is one with Job. The allusions in Genesis 36:11 to "Eliphaz the Temanite" have directed attention to this; and it has been favoured by the Septuagint and the Fathers. read more
Rehoboth by the river ; i.e. the Euphrates, to distinguish it probably from "the city Rehoboth" of Genesis 10:11 . read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 1:28-54
All nations but the seed of Abraham are already shaken off from this genealogy: they have no part nor lot in this matter. The Lord's portion is his people. Of them he keeps an account, knows them by name; but those who are strangers to him he beholds afar off. Not that we are to conclude that therefore no particular persons of any other nation but the seed of Abraham found favour with God. It was a truth, before Peter perceived it, that in every nation he that feared God and wrought... read more