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Genesis Chapter
Thirty-six
Genesis 36
Chapter Contents
Esau and his descendants.
The registers in this chapter show the faithfulness of
God to his promise to Abraham. Esau is here called Edom
that name which kept
up the remembrance of his selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage. Esau
continued the same profane despiser of heavenly things. In outward prosperity
and honour
the children of the covenant are often behind
and those that are
out of the covenant get the start. We may suppose it a trial to the faith of
God's Israel
to hear of the pomp and power of the kings of Edom
while they
were bond-slaves in Egypt; but those that look for great things from God
must
be content to wait for them; God's time is the best time. Mount Seir is called
the land of their possession. Canaan was at this time only the land of promise.
Seir was in the possession of the Edomites. The children of this world have their
all in hand
and nothing in hope
Luke 16:25; while the children of God have their
all in hope
and next to nothing in hand. But
all things considered
it is
beyond compare better to have Canaan in promise
than mount Seir in possession.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Genesis》
Genesis 36
Verse 1
[1] Now
these are the generations of Esau
who is Edom.
Who is Edom-That name perpetuated the
remembrance of the foolish bargain he made
when he sold his birth-right for
that red pottage.
Verse 6
[6] 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 got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country
from the face of his brother Jacob.
Esau had begun to settle among his wife's
relations in Seir
before Jacob came from Padan-aram
Genesis 32:3. Isaac it is likely
had sent him
thither
that Jacob might have the clearer way to the possession of the
promised land: yet probably during the life of Isaac
Esau had still some
effects remaining in Canaan; but after his death
he wholly withdrew to mount
Seir
took with him what came to his share of his father's personal estate
and
left Canaan to Jacob
not only because he had the promise of it
but because he
saw
if they should both continue to thrive
as they had begun
there would not
be room for both.
Verse 8
[8] Thus
dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir — Whatever opposition may be made
God's word will take place
and even
those that have opposed it will see themselves
some time or other
under a
necessity of yielding to it. Esau had struggled for Canaan
but now he retires
to mount Seir; for God's counsels shall certainly stand concerning the times
before appointed
and the bounds of our habitation.
Verse 10
[10]
These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau
Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.
These are the names —
Observe here
1. That only the names of Esau's sons and grand-sons are
recorded: not their history
for it is the church that Moses preserves the
records of
not of those that were without. The elders only that lived by faith
obtained a good report. Nor doth the genealogy go any farther than the third
and fourth generation
the very names of all after are buried in oblivion; it
is only the pedigree of the Israelites who were to be the heirs of Canaan
and
of whom were to come the promised seed
and the holy seed
that is drawn out to
any length
as far as there was occasion for it
even of all the tribes till
Canaan was divided among them
and of the royal line 'till Christ came. 2. That
the sons and grand-sons of Esau are called dukes. Probably they were military
commanders
dukes or captains that had soldiers under them; for Esau and his
family lived by the sword
Genesis 27:40. 3. We may suppose those dukes had
numerous families of children and servants. God promised to multiply Jacob and
to enrich him
yet Esau increases and is enriched first. God's promise to Jacob
began to work late
but the effect of it remained longer
and it had its
compleat accomplishment in the spiritual Israel.
Verse 20
[20] These are the sons of Seir the Horite
who inhabited the land; Lotan
and
Shobal
and Zibeon
and Anah
These are the sons of Seir — In the midst of the genealogy of the Edomites is inserted the genealogy
of the Horites
those Canaanites
or Hittites
(compare Genesis 26:34
) that were the natives of mount
Seir. Mention is made of them
Genesis 14:6
and of their interest in mount
Seir before the Edomites took possession of it
Deuteronomy 2:12
22. This comes in here
not
only to give light to the story
but to be a standing reflexion upon the
Edomites for intermarrying with them
by which it is likely they learned their
way
and corrupted themselves. Esau having sold his birth-right
and lost his
blessing and entered into alliance with the Hittites
his posterity and the
sons of Seir are here reckoned together. Those that treacherously desert God's
church are justly numbered with those that were never in it: apostate Edomites
stand on the same ground with accursed Horites. Notice is taken of one Anah
who fed the asses of Zibeon his father
Genesis 36:20
and yet is called duke Anah
Genesis 36:29. Those that expect to rise high
should begin low. An honourable descent should not keep men from an honest
employment
nor a mean employment baulk any man's preferment.
Verse 24
[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.
This Anah was not only industrious in his
business
but ingenious too
and successful
for he found mules
or
(as some
read it) waters
hot baths in the wilderness. Those that are diligent in their
business sometimes find more advantages than they expected.
Verse 31
[31] And
these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom
before there reigned any
king over the children of Israel.
By degrees the Edomites worked out the
Horites
and got full possession of the country. 1. They were ruled by kings
who governed the whole country
and seem to have come to the throne by
election
and not by lineal descent: these kings reigned in Edom before there
reigned any king over the children of Israel - That is
before Moses's time
for he was king in Jeshurun. God had lately promised Jacob that kings shall
come out of his loins: yet Esau's blood becomes royal long before any of
Jacob's did. Probably it was a trial to the faith of Israel
to hear of the
power of the kings of Edom
while they were bond-slaves in Egypt: but those
that look for great things from God must be content to wait for them. God's
time is the best time. 2. They were afterward's governed by dukes again
here
named
who
I suppose
ruled all at the same time in several places in the
country. They set up this form of government
either in conformity to the
Horites
who had used it
Genesis 36:29
or God's providence reduced them
to it
as some conjecture
to correct them for their unkindness to Israel
in
refusing them passage through their country
Numbers 20:18.
Verse 43
[43] Duke
Magdiel
duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom
according to their habitations
in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.
Mount Seir is called the land of their
possession - While the Israelites dwelt in the house of bondage
and their
Canaan was only the land of promise
the Edomites dwelt in their own
habitations
and Seir was in their possession. The children of this world have
their all in hand
and nothing in hope
while the children of God have often
their all in hope
and next to nothing in hand. But
all things considered
it
is better to have Canaan in promise than mount Seir in possession.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on
Genesis》
36 Chapter 36
Verses 1-43
Now these are the generations of Esau
who is Edom
The history of the generations of Esau
I.
WE
SEE HOW THE PROMISES OF GOD CONCERNING ESAU WERE FULFILLED. Temporal
prosperity.
II. WE LEARN WHAT
IS THE PRINCIPLE UPON WHICH OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY IS WRITTEN. This chapter is a
kind of leave-taking of Esau and his posterity. The stream of sacred history
leads on to the Messiah
the flower and perfection of our human race. Scripture
history is written upon this principle--that it was God’s design throughout to
bring His only begotten Son into the world
and
therefore
that family alone
in which He is to appear shall have a prominent record.
III. WE LEARN THAT
THE ENEMIES OF GOD MAY BE DISTINGUISHED BY GREAT WORLDLY GLORY AND PROSPERITY.
Three times in this chapter we meet with the phrase
“This is Edom”; and once
“He is Esau
the father of the Edomites” (Genesis 36:1; Genesis 36:9; Genesis 36:19; Genesis 36:43). They were the bitterest
enemies of Israel. Esau is the father of persecutors. Yet Esau was prospered in
his lifetime more than his brother. Thus the believer is taught that he must
toil slowly upwards
and must not envy the rapid and joyful prosperity of the
children of this world. His record and his reward are with the Most High. His
prosperity may be late and remote
but it is permanent.
IV. WE LEARN HOW
GOD WORKS IN THE FORMATION OF PEOPLES AND NATIONS. The subjugation of the
Horites by the Edomites
and the fusion of both under one kingdom
is an
instance of the manner in which peoples and nations are formed and
consolidated. This has often occurred in history. We have examples in the rise
of the Samaritans
and in the formation of the Roman people. And in modern
times
we have a similar instance in the subjugation of the Gauls by the
Franks. We see that the footsteps of God are to be traced throughout all human
history. These nations which lay outside the covenant people were yet under the
care and control of that Divine providence which appointed the bounds of their
habitation
and watched over their growth and development (Acts 17:26).
V. WE LEARN
ALSO
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENT IN HISTORY. The personal or
individual element appears in all history
but in a most marked manner in
sacred history. We see how nations are stamped with the character of their
ancestor. (T. H. Leale)
Lessons
1. The genealogy of the wicked God records for His own ends in His
Church.
2. God’s record of the wicked’s line is but to brand them to those
who read it (Genesis 36:1).
3. Godless hearts take strange wives--Hittites
Hivites
Ishmaelites--whatever God says against it (Genesis 36:2; Genesis 36:8).
4. Providence doth vouchsafe progeny to wicked and multiplied
matches
though He like them not (Genesis 36:4-5).
5. In God’s own time He moveth the hearts of wicked enemies
to turn
aside from straitening His Church (Genesis 36:6).
6. Outward portions to the wicked satisfy them in and for their
departing from God’s Church (Genesis 36:7).
7. Mount Seir pleaseth Esau better than the land of promise
because
he is Edom (Genesis 36:8).
8. The reproach of a profane Esau God maketh to rest upon his
posterity (Genesis 36:9).
9. Multitudes of wives and children and offspring God may grant unto
the wicked.
10. God hath recorded the wicked End their progeny to distinguish
them from His Church (verse 10-14).
11. Dukedoms and dignities in the world is only the ambition of the
wicked. The saint’s is of another kind (2 Corinthians 5:1-21; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15).
12. Dignities can never blot out the stain of sin from God’s
presence. The Dukes are Edomites still (verse 15-19). (G. Hughes
B. D.)
Lessons
The name and line of the wicked are mentioned by God’s Spirit for
distinction
not for honour to them.
2. Horites
Hittites
and Hivites are the national titles of the
same sort of sinful people.
3. Uncleanness and unnaturalness are recorded in the wicked’s line
to make them stink.
4. A numerous progeny with dignity may be the portion of the wicked
here below.
5. Affinity with persons that are wicked
usually bring souls to
affinity with their sins.
6. God suffers and orders the wicked to join so in affinity
in
order to the destroying of each other. So it was with Seir and Edom (verse
20-30.) (G. Hughes
B. D.)
Lessons
1. Worldly men are ambitious of the highest titles of honour. Kings
and dukes.
2. Earthly kingdoms God may order to the wicked (a settled
government) before His Church (Genesis 36:31).
3. Stinted are the numbers of kings and dignities by God in the
world.
4. God maketh some notable for exploits above others. Hadad
vanquisheth Midian.
5. Kings and queens are sometimes recorded for their shame by God’s
Spirit.
6. God overturneth and changeth states and government at His
pleasure.
7. Profane fathers and profane children are branded by God’s Spirit
together
where mention is made of them. (G. Hughes
B. D.)
Increase of Esau’s house
The text systematically shows the gradual growth and increase of
the house of Esau. Through his three wives he became the father of five sons;
Adah and Bashemath gave each birth to one son (Eliphaz the firstborn (Genesis 36:15)
and Reuel). and Aholibamah
to three (Jeush
Jaalam
and Korah). These children were born to him in Canaan.
But he could no longer stay in the land of his birth. His herds and flocks were
too numerous to find room
by the side of those of his brother Jacob; and he
emigrated spontaneously. But this took place a very considerable time before
the events related in the preceding chapter; for when Jacob returned from
Mesopotamia
he sent messengers to Esau into Idumea
and promised to visit him
later in Seir. But this circumstance does not imply a contradiction. Our
portion records the history of Esau as far as it relates to political power;
it
therefore
goes back to the fortieth year of his life when he first
married. He had then long sold his birthright; he had
no doubt
heard the
prophecy given to his mother
that to his younger brother Jacob
the
inheritance of the blessings of Abraham was reserved; when
therefore
his
father Isaac advanced in years and became afflicted with infirmity
Jacob was
regarded as the future head of the house
and as such obtained the
superintendence over his father’s property; the cattle of Isaac was
therefore
considered as that of Jacob; and it was within the thirty-eight years between
his marriage and Jacob’s flight
that Esau
at that time not inimical to his
brother
left Canaan
thus willingly acknowledging the superior rights of
Jacob
and spontaneously resigning his own claims upon the land. When Isaac
at
the age of nearly 140 years
wish to bless his firstborn and favourite son
he
sent for him to his new abodes; and Esau answered to the call
just as he came
later to Canaan
at his father’s death
to assist at the funeral duties. (M.
M. Kalisch
Ph. D.)
Verse 7
For their riches were more
Riches cannot secure happiness
“I wish I were rich
I would buy everything
” cried Charlie.
“The sun
moon
and stars?” inquired William. “No; everything that can be had
for money.” “That’s not happiness
” said William. “Get your hat
Charlie
and
come with me to Mr. Morrison’s
” said his father. “Oh
please not
papa
he is
such a disagreeable
miserable old man
with his cross looks and gouty foot
hobbling about and groaning.” “I think you would like to live with him
” said
his father. “I
papa? I would rather live down a coal-pit!” “With him you would
have all that can be bought with money.” “I see it won’t do
” said Charlie.
“Health cannot be bought with money.” “Nor good temper
nor friendship
nor
life
” said William. “Above all
” added their papa
“the favour of God cannot
be bought with money. Be content with as much of it as God gives
and seek to
use it aright.”
“The
fear of God and sweet content Yield riches that will ne’er be spent.”.
──《The Biblical Illustrator》