Genesis 36:5 - Printer Friendly

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

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

NASB: and Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

CSB: and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were Esau's sons, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

NLT: Oholibamah gave birth to sons named Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. All these sons were born to Esau in the land of Canaan.

KJV: And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

NKJV: And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

This and the previous verse (Genesis 36:4) list the names of Esau's five sons. These main descendants of Esau will form a nation called Edom (Genesis 36:1). Esau's twin brother, Jacob, was also given a different name (Genesis 35:10): Israel. In time, Israelites and Edomites will come to hate each other (Numbers 20:14–21; 1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Kings 8:20; Obadiah 1:8–11).

The name Jeush means something like "may God help."

Jalam is an awkward name to translate but may refer to something like a "mountain goat."

Korah, also, is not clear, but may mean "bald head."

Genesis 36:1–8 gives a summary of what happened to Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. Esau is called Edom, literally meaning "red." This connection comes from his birth (Genesis 25:25) and an incident with his brother (Genesis 25:30). The land where he settles is also named for Esau's appearance; "Seir" literally means "shaggy." The nation of Edom grows after Esau moves away from Jacob's rapidly growing family. Jacob was given the name "Israel" by God. Over time, the "brother" nations of Israelites and Edomites will become bitter enemies. The short prophetic book of Obadiah predicts harsh judgment on Edom for their treatment of Israel (Obadiah 1:1–2).

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 5/18/2024 10:35:55 PM