Genesis 36

Toledoth IX (Genesis 36:1)

Roehrs referred to this chapter as a "list of meaningless names," suggesting that it is an act of penance merely to read it![1] Despite such a view, however, there remains an eternal significance in what is here written.

1. This chapter shows that God continued to be interested in all people, not merely the covenant family, and that His ultimate purpose was the blessing of "all the families of the earth," even as mentioned to Abraham (Genesis 12:1ff).
2. It was just as necessary to register the generations of Esau as it was to register those of Jacob, "in order to show that the Messiah did not spring from the former, but from the latter."[2]
   
3. Esau's intermarriage with the Canaanites resulted in the amalgamation with them, demonstrating the reason why God refused to the Israelites any foreign marriages.
   
4. The adoption on the part of Esau and his posterity of the monarchical system of government, resulting in anarchy and the degeneration of his whole race, provided for Israel an object lesson which they should have heeded, but did not. The blunt notice in Genesis 36:31 that those kings of Edom came earlier than the rise of the monarchy in Israel emphasizes the fact that Israel had, as a result of Edom's experience, a detailed picture of what would eventually happen to them if they adopted a monarchical system. Those who would like to view the reference to kings arising in Israel (Genesis 36:31) as a proof of a late date for Genesis are frustrated, absolutely, by the fact that, at such a later time, after there had indeed arisen kings in Israel, such an implied warning would have been without any meaning whatever. Previous prophecies had made it clear that "dominion" would belong to Esau (Genesis 27:40), and that, in time, "kings" would be found among Jacob's posterity (Genesis 35:11). It was with respect to those prophecies that the example of what would come of theft "kings" found its place in this chapter.
   
5. Another purpose of the chapter was that of showing "fairness to Esau."[3] Here we learn that it was Esau who voluntarily left Canaan and dwelt in Seir in order to avoid conflict with his brother Jacob. Also, it should be remembered that, when Esau had all the force necessary as well as a favorable opportunity to destroy Jacob, he refrained from doing so. This chapter further confirms the fact of the reconciliation of those once-estranged brothers being complete. Thus, as Richardson said, "The chapter has much useful information."[4]
   

Regarding the familiar pastime of critics cutting up Genesis into multiple "sources," "Even they have failed to find a possible source to which they can ascribe these names"[5] Maybe Moses? The divisions of the chapter are:

1. Esau's wives and children (Genesis 36:1-8).
   
2. Esau's sons and grandsons, as fathers of tribes (Genesis 36:9-14).
   
3. Tribe-princes who descended from Esau (Genesis 36:15-19).
   
4. Pre-Edomite peoples, descendents of Seir the Horite (Genesis 36:20-30).
   
5. The kings of the land of Edom (Genesis 36:31-39).
   
6. Seats of the tribe-princes of Esau (Genesis 36:40-43).[6]