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Pentateuch · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Genesis 36

Beginnings, creation, human rebellion, covenant, and the family of Abraham.

Old Testament

Genesis 36

1Now this is the history of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).

2Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon, the Hittite; and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, the Hivite;

3and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth.

4Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz. Basemath bore Reuel.

5Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

6Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, with his livestock, all his animals, and all his possessions, which he had gathered in the land of Canaan, and went into a land away from his brother Jacob.

7For their substance was too great for them to dwell together, and the land of their travels couldn’t bear them because of their livestock.

8Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom.

9This is the history of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir:

10these are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau; and Reuel, the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau.

11The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.

12Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau’s son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the descendants of Adah, Esau’s wife.

13These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the descendants of Basemath, Esau’s wife.

14These were the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

15These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,

16chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These are the chiefs who came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Adah.

17These are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs who came of Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife.

18These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These are the chiefs who came of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife.

19These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.

20These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

21Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs who came of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.

22The children of Lotan were Hori and Heman. Lotan’s sister was Timna.

23These are the children of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

24These are the children of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he fed the donkeys of Zibeon his father.

25These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

26These are the children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

27These are the children of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.

28These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

29These are the chiefs who came of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah,

30chief Dishon, chief Ezer, and chief Dishan. These are the chiefs who came of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir.

31These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the children of Israel.

32Bela, the son of Beor, reigned in Edom. The name of his city was Dinhabah.

33Bela died, and Jobab, the son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his place.

34Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.

35Husham died, and Hadad, the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his city was Avith.

36Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.

37Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the river, reigned in his place.

38Shaul died, and Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.

39Baal Hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

40These are the names of the chiefs who came from Esau, according to their families, after their places, and by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth,

41chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon,

42chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar,

43chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession. This is Esau, the father of the Edomites.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Beginnings, creation, human rebellion, covenant, and the family of Abraham. Read Genesis 36 within the complete Genesis overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Genesis 36

Genesis 36 contains 43 verses and about 812 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Now this is the history of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 43 closes: “chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession. This is Esau, the father of the Edomites.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include chief, esau, sons, land, chiefs, daughter. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Genesis 36

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Genesis 36:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

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