Read with Me
Genesis 36:9=19 (HCSB)
These are the family records of Esau, father of the Edomites in the mountains of Seir.
These are the names of Esau’s sons:
Eliphaz son of Esau’s wife Adah,
and Reuel son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
The sons of Eliphaz were
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz,
bore Amalek to Eliphaz.
These were the sons of Esau’s wife Adah.
These are Reuel’s sons:
Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah
daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon:
She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Edom.
These are the chiefs of Esau’s sons:
the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn:
Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,
Korah, Gatam, and Amalek.
These are the chiefs of Eliphaz
in the land of Edom.
These are the sons of Adah.
These are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son:
Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
These are the chiefs of Reuel
in the land of Edom.
These are the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah:
Chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
These are the chiefs of Esau’s wife Oholibamah
daughter of Anah.
These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom),
and these are their chiefs.
Listen with Me
Esau, nicknamed Edom, or “Red” because of his red hair and ruddy complexion (Genesis 25:25) became the founder of the nation of Edom, which lay south of the Dead Sea, east of the Great Rift Valley. Esau had three wives, one of whom was the daughter of Ishmael. From these three wives, he produced five who formed the five major clans of Esau.
Moses included the list of Esau’s sons and descendants because, even though he did not receive the promise of the land, he still became the father of a nation, fulfilling his part in the promise made to Abraham that he would become the ancestor of many nations (Genesis 17:4-6).
The descendants of Esau grew more and more distant from those of Jacob over the centuries that the Israelites were in Egypt. When Moses and the Israelites began their approach to the Promised Land after their forty-year sojourn in the wilderness, Moses sent a message to the descendants of Esau requesting permission to pass through their land. But they were strongly denied passage and even ended up facing armed resistance. So they decided instead to go around Edom, passing east of the Rift Valley via the region of Moab (Numbers 20:14-21).
Pray with Me
Father, the great tragedy of Jacob and Esau is that even though they reconciled in the end, there was still a root of bitterness that continued to grow and to ultimately separate the two family lines. It is easy to underestimate the value of family until those relationships are lost. Lord, help me to keep my family ties strong, and to repair those that have grown strained quickly, so that no root of bitterness has a chance to grow up between us. Amen.