Keraia
Genesis 36

Genesis 36:2

The Descendants of Esau · Genesis 36:1–19
Read Genesis 36

Translations

Modern
Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite,
Traditional
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;
Literal
Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah, daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon the Hivite,
Latin
Esau accepit uxores de filiabus Chanaan: Ada filiam Elon Hethæi, et Oolibama filiam Anæ filiæ Sebeon Hevæi:

Original

Hebrew
English
Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite,

Notes

Genesis 36:2

Oholibamah was the great-granddaughter of Seir the Horite. Seir's descendants lived in Edom when Esau went to live there (36:20, 25).

Genesis 36:2–3

Esau had three wives named Adah, Oholibamah, and Basemath. Two of these names differ from earlier mentions (26:34; 28:9). It is possible the other wives died, Esau preferred these three out of six, or these were different names for the same wives. There is not enough information to know for sure.

Genesis 36:1–8

The story of Esau emphasizes two main points:

  1. The sons of Esau … were born to him in the land of Canaan (36:5) before he moved to Seir (36:8). In contrast, most of Jacob’s children were born outside Canaan but later moved there. God gave the land to Jacob and his descendants, making space for them by settling Esau elsewhere.

  2. Esau was also known as Edom. Israel often had conflicts with the Edomites (see 1 Samuel 21:7; 22:9–22; Obadiah 1).

Genesis 36:1–43

Genesis now turns to the story of Isaac’s sons. It first finishes the account of Esau’s line (chapter 36), who was not chosen. Then it continues with the line of Jacob (chapter 37), whom God chose.

Theme notes and profiles

Esau Symbolic Numbers

Parallels

1 Chronicles 1:35–37

People

Adah: Hittite wife of Esau; mother of Eliphaz Anah: Horite, father of Oholibamah, Esau's wife Elon: A Hittite, father-in-law of Esau Esau: Isaac's firstborn son; sold birthright to Jacob; became Edom Heth: Son of Canaan and ancestor of the Hittites Hivites: A Canaanite people group Oholibamah: Wife of Esau Zibeon: Hivite grandfather of Esau's wife Oholibamah

Places

Canaan: Ancient region; descendants of Ham; promised to Abraham's descendants

Glossary

Adah Aholibamah Anah Basemath Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Edom, Edomites Elon (Person) Genealogy Genesis, Book of Hivites Horites Judith (Person) Oholibamah Patriarchs, Period of the Zibeon

Topics

Anah: Father-In-Law or Mother-In-Law of Esau--An Error of Copyist Daughter used Also for Granddaughter Elon: Father-In-Law of Esau Esau: Polygamy of Hittites: Esau Intermarries With Hittites: Intermarriages With, by Esau Hivites: Esau Intermarried With Hivites: Esau Intermarries With Ishmael: Son of Abraham: Daughter of, Marries Esau Judith: Called Aholibamah Zibeon: A Hivite