Genesis 36:20 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the region: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

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

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

NLT: These are the names of the tribes that descended from Seir the Horite. They lived in the land of Edom: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

KJV: These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,

NKJV: These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

Esau moved his large family to the hill country of Seir (Genesis 36:7–8). At the time, Seir was already occupied by the Horite people. This is the same group noted in Genesis 14:6 when Abraham was forced to rescue his nephew, Lot (Genesis 14:12–16). Deuteronomy 2:12 says, "The Horites also lived in Seir formerly, but the people of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them and settled in their place."

Seir, for whom the region is named, had many sons, including Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, and Anah. The name "Seir" is ironic, in that it means "hairy," and the man whose family conquered that territory was infamously shaggy, himself (Genesis 27:11).

Genesis 36:20–30 describes the people Esau and his offspring defeated to take control of their homeland (Deuteronomy 2:12). These are the Horites (Genesis 14:6), descended from a man named Seir. After Esau's conquest, the region became known as Edom (Genesis 36:1).

Genesis 36 describes the generations of Esau, mostly focusing on the genealogy and rulers of the land of Edom. Repeatedly, the chapter emphasizes that Esau is Edom, repeating an association made earlier in Genesis (Genesis 25:25, 30). The Edomite people are his descendants. The regions in the land of Edom are named for his offspring. The chapter diverts briefly to give the genealogy of the Horite people (Genesis 14:6) who occupied the land before it was conquered (Deuteronomy 2:12). Finally, the chapter lists eight kings of Edom, along with the chiefs whose names became associated with the regions their clans occupied.

Genesis 35 concludes with the death of Isaac. It marks the end of the story arc which focused on him (Genesis 25:19). Genesis 36 briefly describes the generations of Esau, Jacob's twin brother, listing his sons, grandsons, and the kings of Edom, the nation that came from Esau. This is parallel to how Genesis 25:12–18 relayed the fate of Ishamel, another son who did not carry the line of promise. Genesis 37 begins the generations of Jacob, focusing mostly on the story of Joseph.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 4/28/2024 1:48:03 PM