Today we begin Genesis Chapter 36.
For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here.
For the King James version, click here.
Alright, today we are going to take a look at the Esau family line!
I am aware that most people use these parts of the Bible as sleeping pill substitutes.
However, I would highly, highly encourage you to NOT doze off!
Understand that to the peoples of these times, these genealogies exerted a serious fascination for them.
Do you remember the last time you were looking through your high school yearbook?
Do you remember how when you came across a particular name or picture, it set off strong feelings of nostalgia and excitement?
Well, in a sense, that is how the listings of these family lines affected the people of those times.
They were a reliable record of people and groups with whom they were intimately acquainted.
And to be honest with you, personally, I have encountered some of the most mind-blowing and heart pounding content in chapters like these and this section is no exception.
This is a very pivotal chapter because at this point in the Torah, the personal history of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) end and the history of the 12 Tribes of Israel begins.
Let’s take a quick snapshot of what we’ll be diving into.
These genealogies can be divided into six units as follows:
FIRST UNIT (Verses 1-8): This section is a genealogical list that records the descendants of the wives of Esau. Although the sons are also mentioned, the focus is on the wives.
SECOND UNIT (Verses 9-14): Now this part is a genealogical listing focusing more on the sons than the wives.
THIRD UNIT (Verses 15-19): This is a list of the chieftains descended from Esau.
FOURTH UNIT (Verses 20-30): This is a list of the Horite inhabitants of Edom. The term “Horite” has been used interchangeably with the term “Hittite”.
FIFTH UNIT (Verses 31-39): This section comprises a list of the kings of Edom. Note that since none of the successors to the throne is a son of his predecessor, there are no dynasties here.
SIXTH UNIT (Verses 40-43): The final list is yet another record of the chieftains descended from Esau.
Now if you forget anything from this section of the Bible, don’t forget the following three fundamentals:
-Esau and Edom are ONE AND THE SAME.
-Esau, brother of Jacob, is the founder of all the Edomite tribes.
-Mount Seir is in the land of Edom and thus the terms “Seir” and “Edom” are interchangeable.
Leave a Reply