Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

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G E N E S I S

CHAP. XXXVI.

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In this chapter we have an account of the posterity of Esau, who,

from him, were called Edomites, that Esau who sold his birthright,

and lost his blessing, and was not loved of God as Jacob

was. Here is a brief register kept of his family for some generations.

1. Because he was the son of Isaac, for whose sake this

honour is put upon him.

2. Because the Edomites were neighbours

to Israel, and their genealogy would be of use to give light

to the following stories of what passed between them.

3. It is to

show the performance of the promise to Abraham, that he should

be “the father of many nations,” and of that answer which

Rebekah had from the oracle she consulted, “Two nations are

in thy womb,” and of the blessing of Isaac, “Thy dwelling

shall be the fatness of the earth.” We have here,

I. Esau’s wives,

ver. 1-5.

II. His remove to mount Seir,

ver. 6-8.

III. The names of his sons,

ver. 9-14.

IV. The dukes who descended

of his sons,

ver. 15-19.

V. The dukes of the Horites,

ver. 20-30.

VI. The kings and dukes of Edom,

ver. 31-43.

Little more is

recorded than their names, because the history of those that

were out of the church (though perhaps it might have been serviceable

in politics) would have been of little use in divinity. It

is in the church that the memorable instances are found of

special grace, and special providence; for that is the enclosure,

the rest is common. This chapter is abridged,

1 Chron. i. 35,

&c.

The Generations of Esau.	B. C. 1780.

     

1 Now these are the generations of

Esau, who is Edom.

  2 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;

  3 And Bashemath Ishmael’s

daughter, sister of Nebajoth.

  4 And

Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and

Bashemath bare Reuel;

  5 And Aholibamah

bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and

Korah: these are the sons of Esau,

which were born unto him in the land

of Canaan.

  6 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.

  7 For their riches were more

than that they might dwell together;

and the land wherein they were

strangers could not bear them because

of their cattle.

  8 Thus dwelt Esau

in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

     

Observe here,

1. Concerning Esau himself,

v. 1.

He is called Edom (and again,

v. 8),

that name by which was perpetuated

the remembrance of the foolish bargain he

made, when he sold his birthright for that red,

that red pottage. The very mention of that

name is enough to intimate the reason why

his family is turned off with such a short

account. Note, If men do a wrong thing

they must thank themselves, when it is, long

afterwards, remembered against them to their

reproach.

2. Concerning his wives, and the

children they bore him in the land of Canaan.

He had three wives, and, by them all, but five

sons: many a one has more by one wife.

God in his providence often disappoints those

who take indirect courses to build up a family;

yet here the promise prevailed, and

Esau’s family was built up.

3. Concerning

his removal to mount Seir, which was the

country God had given him for a possession,

when he reserved Canaan for the seed of Jacob.

God owns it, long afterwards: I gave

to Esau mount Seir

(Deut. ii. 5; Josh. xxiv. 4),

which was the reason why the Edomites must

not be disturbed in their possession. Those

that have not a right by promise, such as

Jacob had, to Canaan, may have a very good

title by providence to their estates, such as

Esau had to mount Seir. Esau had begun

to settle among his wives’ relations, in Seir,

before Jacob came from Padan-aram,

ch. xxxii. 3.

Isaac, it is likely, had sent him

thither (as Abraham in his life-time had sent

the sons of the concubines from Isaac his son

into the east country,

ch. xxv. 6),

that Jacob

might have the clearer way made for him to

the possession of the promised land. During

the life of Isaac, however, Esau had probably

still some effects remaining in Canaan; but,

after his death, he wholly withdrew to mount

Seir, took with him what came to his share

of his father’s personal estate, and left Canaan

to Jacob, not only because he had the promise

of it, but because Esau perceived that if they

should continue to thrive as they had begun

there would not be room for both. Thus

dwelt Esau in Mount Seir,
v. 8.

Note, Whatever

opposition may be made, God’s word

will be accomplished, and even those that

have opposed it will see themselves, some

time or other, under a necessity of yielding

to it, and acquiescing in it. Esau had

struggled for Canaan, but now he tamely

retires to mount Seir; for God’s counsels shall

certainly stand, concerning the times before

appointed, and the bounds of our habitation.

The Dukes of Edom.	B. C. 1729.

     

9 And these are the generations of

Esau the father of the Edomites in

mount Seir:

  10 These are the names

of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of

Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son

of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

  11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman,

Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.

  12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz

Esau’s son; and she bare to

Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons

of Adah Esau’s wife.

  13 And these

are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and

Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these

were the sons of Bashemath Esau’s

wife.

  14 And these were the sons of

Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the

daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: and

she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam,

and Korah.

  15 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,

  16 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.

  17 And these are the sons of Reuel

Esau’s son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah,

duke Shammah, duke Mizzah:

these are the dukes that came of Reuel

in the land of Edom; these are the

sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.

  18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah

Esau’s wife; duke Jeush, duke

Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the

dukes that came of Aholibamah the

daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife.

  19 These are the sons of Esau, who is

Edom, and these are their dukes.

     

Observe here,

1. That only the names of

Esau’s sons and grandsons are recorded,

only their names, not their history; for it is

the church that Moses preserves the records

of, not the record of those that are without.

Those elders that lived by faith alone obtained

a good report. It is Sion that produces the

men of renown, not Seir,

Ps. lxxxvii. 5.

Nor does the genealogy go any further than

the third and fourth generation; the very

names of all after are buried in oblivion. It

is only the pedigree of the Israelites, who

were to be the heirs of Canaan, and of whom

were to come the promised seed, and the

holy seed, that is drawn out to any length,

as far as there was occasion for it, even of

all the tribes till Canaan was divided among

them, and of the royal line till Christ came.

2. That these sons and grandsons of Esau

are called dukes,
v. 15-19.

Probably they

were military commanders, dukes, or captains,

that had soldiers under them; for Esau

and his family lived by the sword,
ch. xxvii. 40.

Note, Titles of honour have been more

ancient out of the church than in it. Esau’s

sons were dukes when Jacob’s sons were but

plain shepherds,

ch. xlvii. 3.

This is not a

reason why such titles should not be used

among Christians; but it is a reason why

men should not overvalue themselves, or

others, for the sake of them. There is an

honour that comes from God, and a name in

his house that is infinitely more valuable.

Edomites may be dukes with men, but

Israelites indeed are made to our God

kings and priests.

3. We may suppose those

dukes had numerous families of children and

servants that were their dukedoms. God

promised to multiply Jacob, and to enrich

him; yet Esau increases, and is enriched

first. Note, It is no new thing for the men

of this world to be full of children, and to

have their bellies too filled with hidden treasures,
Ps. xvii. 14.

God’s promise to Jacob

began to work late, but the effect of it remained

longer, and it had its complete accomplishment

in the spiritual Israel.

     

20 These are the sons of Seir the

Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan,

and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,

  21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan:

these are the dukes of the Horites,

the children of Seir in the land of

Edom.

  22 And the children of Lotan

were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s

sister was Timna.

  23 And the

children of Shobal were these; Alvan,

and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and

Onam.

  24 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.

  25 And the

children of Anah were these; Dishon,

and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.

  26 And these are the children of

Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and

Ithran, and Cheran.

  27 The children

of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and

Zaavan, and Akan.

  28 The children

of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.

  29 These are the dukes that came of

the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal,

duke Zibeon, duke Anah,

  30 Duke

Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan:

these are the dukes that came of

Hori, among their dukes in the land

of Seir.

     

In the midst of this genealogy of the Edomites

here is inserted the genealogy of the

Horites, those Canaanites, or Hittites (compare

ch. xxvi. 34),

that were the natives of

Mount Seir. Mention is made of them,

ch. xiv. 6,

and of their interest in Mount Seir,

before the Edomites took possession of it,

Deut. ii. 12, 22.

This comes in here, not

only to give light to the story, but to be a

standing reflection upon the Edomites for

intermarrying with them, by which, it is

probable, they learned their way, and corrupted

themselves. Esau having sold his

birthright, and lost his blessing, and entered

into alliance with the Hittites, his posterity

and the sons of Seir are here reckoned

together. Note, Those that treacherously

desert God’s church are justly numbered

with those that were never in it; apostate

Edomites stand on the same ground with

accursed Horites. Particular notice is taken

of one Anah who fed the asses of Zibeon his

father

(v. 24),

and yet is called duke Anah,
v. 29.

Note, Those that expect to rise high

should begin low. An honourable descent

should not keep men from an honest employment,

nor a mean employment hinder any

man’s preferment. This Anah was not only

industrious in his business, but ingenious

too, and successful; for he found mules, or

(as some read it) waters, hot-baths, in the

wilderness. Those that are diligent in their

business sometimes find more advantages

than they expected.

     

31 And these are the kings that

reigned in the land of Edom, before

there reigned any king over the children

of Israel.

  32 And Bela the son of

Beor reigned in Edom: and the name

of his city was Dinhabah.

  33 And

Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah

of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

  34 And Jobab died, and Husham of

the land of Temani reigned in his stead.

  35 And Husham died, and Hadad the

son of Bedad, who smote Midian in

the field of Moab, reigned in his stead:

and the name of his city was Avith.

  36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah

reigned in his stead.

  37 And

Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth

by the river reigned in his stead.

  38 And Saul died, and Baal-hanan the

son of Achbor reigned in his stead.

  39 And Baal-hanan 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.

  40 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,

  41 Duke

Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,

  42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke

Mibzar,

  43 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.

     

By degrees, it seems, the Edomites wormed

out the Horites, obtained full possession of

the country, and had a government of their

own.

1. They were ruled by kings, who

governed the whole country, and seem to

have come to the throne by election, and not

by lineal descent; so bishop Patrick observes.

These kings reigned in Edom before there

reigned any king over the children of Israel,

that is, before Moses’s time, for he was king

in Jeshurun,
Deut. xxxiii. 5.

God had lately promised

Jacob that kings should come out of his loins

(ch. xxxv. 11),

yet Esau’s blood becomes

royal long before any of Jacob’s did. Note,

In external prosperity and honour, the children

of the covenant are often cast behind,

and those that are out of covenant get the

start. The triumphing of the wicked may

be quick, but it is short; soon ripe, and as

soon rotten: but the products of the promise,

though they are slow, are sure and lasting;

at the end it shall speak, and not lie. We may

suppose it was a great trial to the faith of God’s

Israel to hear of the pomp and power of the

kings of Edom, while they were bond-slaves in

Egypt; but those that look for great things

from God must be content to wait for them;

God’s time is the best time.

2. They were

afterwards governed by dukes, again here

named, who, I suppose, ruled all at the same

time in several places in the country. Either

they set up this form of government in conformity

to the Horites, who had used it

(v. 29),

or God’s providence reduced them to it,

as some conjecture, to correct them for their

unkindness to Israel, in refusing them a

passage though their country,

Num. xx. 18.

Note, When power is abused, it is just with

God to weaken it, by turning it into divers

channels. For the transgression of a land,

many are the princes thereof. Sin brought

Edom from kings to dukes, from crowns to

coronets. We read of the dukes of Edom

(Exod. xv: 15),

yet, long afterwards, of their

kings again.

3. Mount Seir is called the land

of their possession,
v. 43.

While the Israelites

dwelt in the house of bondage, and their

Canaan was only the land of promise, the

Edomites dwelt in their own habitations, and

Seir was in their possession. Note, The

children of this world have their all in hand,

and nothing in hope

(Luke xvi. 25);

while

the children of God have their all in hope,

and next to nothing in hand. But, all things

considered, it is better to have Canaan in

promise than mount Seir in possession.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

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