Esau’s marriages in Canaan produced a unique blend of peoples who, through tribal lines and later nations, played a recurring role in the broader scriptural narrative.
In Genesis 36:2Genesis 36:2 commentary, commentary we learn that, Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite (v. 2). Esau, the son of Isaac (born around 2066 BC) and the twin brother of Jacob, made significant alliances through marriage with various local tribes. The Hittites were an ancient people whose influence spread throughout areas now spanning modern Turkey and parts of the Levant. Meanwhile, Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth (v. 3), represented a lineage connected to Ishmael (born around 2080 BC), who was Abraham’s son through Hagar. By mentioning several ancestral lines, this text highlights the diverse heritage that fed into Esau’s lineage.
The next verse indicates that Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel (v. 4). Each name carries the weight of a family heritage. Adah’s role in bearing Eliphaz fills out the identity of the Edomite clans that would follow, as Eliphaz would become a primary figure in Esau’s descendants. Basemath’s son, Reuel, connects Esau’s family tree deeper into the house of Ishmael, reflecting ties between Abraham’s two grandsons. These familial connections emphasize that God’s promise to Abraham of a multitude of nations branched out into numerous tribes and peoples, eventually preparing the context in which later biblical figures would arise.
Finally, we read that Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan (v. 5). Oholibamah’s lineage shadowed a people known as Hivites, also dwelling in that part of the ancient Near East. Canaan, lying between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, was the ancestral ground of Israel’s patriarchs. Because these children were born on that land, their identity became intertwined with its history and religious significance. In due course, Esau’s descendants became Edomites, settling to the southeast of the Dead Sea, eventually expanding their own traditions and territories which often intersected with Israel’s story (Numbers 20:14-21Numbers 20:14-21 commentary).
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Genesis 36:2-5 meaning
In Genesis 36:2Genesis 36:2 commentary, commentary we learn that, Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite (v. 2). Esau, the son of Isaac (born around 2066 BC) and the twin brother of Jacob, made significant alliances through marriage with various local tribes. The Hittites were an ancient people whose influence spread throughout areas now spanning modern Turkey and parts of the Levant. Meanwhile, Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth (v. 3), represented a lineage connected to Ishmael (born around 2080 BC), who was Abraham’s son through Hagar. By mentioning several ancestral lines, this text highlights the diverse heritage that fed into Esau’s lineage.
The next verse indicates that Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel (v. 4). Each name carries the weight of a family heritage. Adah’s role in bearing Eliphaz fills out the identity of the Edomite clans that would follow, as Eliphaz would become a primary figure in Esau’s descendants. Basemath’s son, Reuel, connects Esau’s family tree deeper into the house of Ishmael, reflecting ties between Abraham’s two grandsons. These familial connections emphasize that God’s promise to Abraham of a multitude of nations branched out into numerous tribes and peoples, eventually preparing the context in which later biblical figures would arise.
Finally, we read that Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan (v. 5). Oholibamah’s lineage shadowed a people known as Hivites, also dwelling in that part of the ancient Near East. Canaan, lying between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, was the ancestral ground of Israel’s patriarchs. Because these children were born on that land, their identity became intertwined with its history and religious significance. In due course, Esau’s descendants became Edomites, settling to the southeast of the Dead Sea, eventually expanding their own traditions and territories which often intersected with Israel’s story (Numbers 20:14-21Numbers 20:14-21 commentary).