“Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.”
Edom. His genealogy extends as far as ver. 20, where that of Seir, the Horrite, begins. The seven first verses specify Esau’s sons, the twelve next his grandsons born in Seir. From the 15th to the 20th verse, we have the most ancient form of government in that nation under the Aluphim, or heads of families. To them succeed kings, (ver. 31 to 40,) and then dukes to the end. Moses omits several generations of Oolibama’s grand-children, as foreign to his purpose, which was to shew the Israelites whom they were not to molest. The kings, of whom he speaks, (ver. 31,) might govern different parts of the country at the same time; and that before any form of government was established among the Hebrews, as it was under Moses, who is styled a king, (Deuteronomy xxxiii. 5,) about 200 years after Esau had driven the Horrites from their mountains. (Calmet) — Among these nations several good men might exist, as Job, &c. But the true religion was preserved more fully among the 12 tribes. (St. Augustine, City of God xv. xvi.) (Worthington)
“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;”
Ada. These wives of Esau are called by other names, chap. xxvi. But it was very common amongst the ancients for the same persons to have two names, as Esau himself was also called Edom. (Challoner) — Ana the daughter of Sebeon. It is not certain that Ana was a woman. The Samaritan and Septuagint make him son of Sebeon, both here and ver. 14, (Haydock) as well as some Latin copies; and he is mentioned as such, ver. 24. The daughter of Sebeon may, therefore, designate his grand-daughter, which is not unusual. Sebeon is called Hevite, Hethite, and Horrite, on account of his dwelling in different countries; though some think they were different persons. (Calmet) — This, and innumerable other difficulties, may convince Protestants that the Scriptures are not easy. (Worthington)
“And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel;”
Eliphaz; perphas the Themanite, and friend of Job, (St. Jerome) or his grandfather, by Theman; as Job was the grandson of Esau, and the second king, ver. 33. (Tirinus)
“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. persons: Heb. souls”
Jacob, by the divine Providence, as Chanaan was to be his inheritance. (Menochius) — He had returned from Seir about the same time as Jacob came home. (St. Augustine, q. 119.)
“And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: the Edomites: Heb. Edom”
Of Edom, or of all the nations who inhabited Idumea, sprung from Esau’s grand-children. (Calmet)
“These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,”
Hebrew Aluph, prince of a tribe, or of a thousand; a Chiliarch. (Zach. v. 2.[Zacharias ix. 7.?; Micheas v. 2.?]) The Rabbin assert they wore not a crown, as the kings did. (Calmet) — Both obtained their authority by election. An aristocracy prevailed under the dukes. (Menochius)
“Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.”
Duke Core, being the son of Esau, is omitted in the Samaritan though found in all the versions and Hebrew. (Kennicott)
“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.”
Hot waters. Medicinal, (Menochius) like the springs at Bath, &c. (Haydock) — Hebrew hayemim, a word which some translate mules; others, the nation of that name; or the giants, Emeans, with whom he had perhaps some engagement, as Adad (ver. 35,) had with the Madianites, the particulars of which were then well known. The Septuagint and ancient versions retain the original word. It is used for a body of water. (Calmet)
“Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.”
Seir, contemporary with the princes of Esau, in another town or region. (Calmet)
“And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.”
A king. See ver. 1. Moses might also add this with reference to the times, when he knew the Hebrews would petition for a king, for whom he gave particular laws. (Menochius) — These kings were probably foreigners, who subdued the natives. They did not obtain the kingdom by succession. (Calmet)
“And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.”
Jobab. Most people suppose this is Job, the model of patience. (Menochius) — Bosra, or Bezer, was the capital of Idumea, in the tribe of Ruben. (Calmet)
“And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.”
River Rohoboth; or as it is expressed, 1 Paralipomenon i. 48, of Rohoboth, which is near the river Euphrates, below where the Chaboras empties itself.
“And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. Hadar, Pau: or, Hadad, Pai: after his death was an Aristocracy”
Adar. Many confound him with the king, whom David overcame. — Daughter of Mezaab, or perhaps her grand-daughter, or adopted child.
“And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, Alvah: or, Aliah”
Callings. They left their names to various places. They were in power when the Hebrews approached their respective territories, and threw them into dismay, Exodus xv. 15. — Alva. Septuagint, gola. (Calmet)
“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. the Edomites: Heb. Edom”
The same Edom is Esau. Moses seems particularly attentive to assert both titles for the same person, ver. 8, &c. The time of Esau’s death cannot be ascertained. There is reason to hope that he died penitent; though in the early part of his life, he gave way to his ferocious temper, and became a figure of the reprobate. He lived on terms of friendship with his brother, assisted him to bury his father, &c. (Calmet) — He was a hunter, indeed; which St. Jerome looks upon as a bad sign: “nunquam venatorem in bonam partem legi,” in Micheas v. But this was also in his younger days. (Haydock) — I have hated Esau, Matthew i., refers to his irreligious posterity, and to his being deprived of temporal advantages, attending the birth-right. (Tirinus) (Calmet)