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Genesis 36a:

Reading #139  Esau’s descendants

Now we are treated to one of the family histories which show us how intimately Jesus knows our backgrounds and takes them into account in the judgment.  It is written: “The LORD shall count, when He writes up the people, that this man [or woman] was born there [in this place or at that time]. Selah.”  Psalm 87:6. 

[Selah = stop and think prayerfully on what you have just read.]

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Genesis 36:

1 Now these are the generations [descendants] of Esau [the twin brother of Jacob], who is [also known as (aka)] Edom [the red one].

2 Esau took [as] his wives of the daughters of Canaan [from the unbelievers]; 

 [1]  Adah [aka Bashemath, Genesis 26:34] the daughter of Elon the Hittite,

and

 [2]  Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite [who lived in Seir];

3 and

 [3]  Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth [Ishmael’s firsborn]. 

4 And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz [his firstborn];

               and Bashemath bare Reuel; 

5 and Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah:

these are the sons of Esau, which were born to him in the land of Canaan [five in all]. 

6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters [who are not mentioned by name], 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 [away] 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.

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Jacob and Esau met for the last time at the deathbed of their father. Once the elder brother had looked forward to this event as an opportunity for revenge, but his feelings had since greatly changed. And Jacob, well content with the spiritual blessings of the birthright, had resigned to the elder brother the inheritance of their father's wealth -- the only inheritance that Esau sought or valued. They were no longer estranged by jealousy or hatred, yet they parted, Esau moving permanently to Mount Seir.

God, who is rich in blessing, had granted to Jacob worldly wealth in addition to the higher good that he had sought.  And now the possessions of the two brothers were more than that they might dwell together comfortably; and there was not enough grass for their animals. Moreover this separation was in accordance with the divine purpose concerning Jacob. Since the brothers differed so greatly in regard to religious faith, it was better for them to dwell apart.  2 Corinthians 6:17.

Esau and Jacob had both been instructed in the knowledge of God, and both were free to walk in His commandments and to receive His favour; but they had not both chosen to do this. The two brothers had always walked in different ways, and from this point on their paths would continue to diverge more and more widely.

There was no arbitrary choice on the part of God by which Esau was shut out from the blessings of salvation.

The gifts of His grace through Christ are free to all. There is no election but one's own by which any may perish, it’s always our choice.  We must reject what God has set forth in His word as the condition upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life - obedience to His commandments, through faith in Christ.  See Revelation 14:12.

God has “elected” as His standard a character in harmony with His law, and anyone who accepts His requirement will have a sure entrance into the kingdom of glory.  2 Peter 1:10.  Christ Himself said, “He that believes on [accepts] the Son [as a personal Saviour] has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see [everlasting] life.” John 3:36.

He also said, “Not everyone that says to Me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21.

And in the Revelation He declares, “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation  22:14.

As regards man's final salvation, this is the only election brought to view in the word of God. 

And now we are shown more of the family line of Esau.

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Genesis 36:

9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir. 10 These are the names of [two 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 [and therefore grandsons of Esau] were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.

12 And [a lady named] Timna was concubine to Eliphaz [who was] Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz [a son named] Amalek:

these were the  [grand]sons of Adah Esau's wife.

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About 400 years later the Amelekites became hated by the Israelites when they attacked the sick and aged who were at the rear of their column as they travelled in the exodus, and this led to an implacable enmity between the two nations which lasted until the days of kings Saul and David [about 1000BC].  (See 1 Samuel 14:47-48; 15:7-8 and chapter 30.)  At that time their influence was nullified, but it is mentioned that a remnant existed until the reign of Hezekiah [c. 715BC].  1 Chronicles 4:41-43.

The attack on the exodus wanderers is written:

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Exodus 17:

8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9 And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” 

10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 

12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. [Co-operation among God’s people is essential for victory in any endeavour.] 

13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 And the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it “Jehovah-nissi”: 16 for he said, “Because the LORD has sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” [Jesus recognised that there would always be bad blood between these two nations.] 

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Josephus says that Hur was Moses’ brother-in-law, Miriam’s husband.  He was certainly someone of importance as mentioned in Exodus 24:14, and the artisan Bezalel who helped construct the tabernacle may have been his grandson.  Exodus 31:1.

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Genesis 36:

13 And these are the sons of Reuel [more grandsons];

Nahas, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the  [grand]sons of Bashemath Esau's wife [aka Mahalath, Genesis 28:9].

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It is very difficult to get an accurate picture of family trees in the Bible because often names are left off or nicknames added instead of the proper name.

In Genesis 26:34 Esau is said to have married another woman named Judith but she is not mentioned in this genealogy.  It is possible that she died childless and therefore doesn’t rate a place.  Sometime males and females have the same name which can also cause complications.

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Genesis 36:

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. 

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From the five sons of Esau sprang many tribes which fought against Israel from time to time in later years.

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Genesis 36:

15 These were dukes [chieftains or leaders] of the sons [and grandsons] of Esau:

the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau;

duke [chief] Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, 

16 duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek [worldly people love titles]:

these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the  [grand]sons of Adah. 

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There are very many today who are like Esau and his descendants, for they represent a class who have a special, valuable blessing within their reach, the immortal inheritance, life that is as enduring as the life of God, the Creator of the universe.  They are offered happiness immeasurable and an eternal weight of glory, but have so long indulged their appetites, passions, and inclinations, that their power to discern and appreciate the value of eternal things is weakened. 

As we have seen, Esau had a special, strong desire for a particular article of food, and he had so long gratified himself that he did not feel the necessity of turning from the tempting, coveted dish. He thought upon it, making no special effort to restrain his appetite, until the power of appetite controlled him, and he imagined that he would suffer great inconvenience, and even death, if he could not have that particular dish.  Genesis 25:32.  The more he thought upon it, the more his desire strengthened, until his birthright, which was sacred, lost its value and its sacredness. 

This passion is shown in many different ways today, ranging from politics to drugs, but all have the same base which drives them – selfishness and the desire for power.

Esau passed the crisis of his life without knowing it.

What he regarded as a matter worthy of scarcely a thought was the act which revealed the prevailing traits of his character. It showed his choice, showed his true estimate of that which was sacred and which should have been sacredly cherished. He sold his birthright for a small indulgence to meet his present wants, and this determined the after course of his life.

Thus we see that Esau represents those who have not tasted of the privileges which are theirs, purchased for them at infinite cost, but have sold their birthright for some gratification of appetite, or for the love of gain.

We are told, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD: looking diligently [carefully] lest any man fail of the grace of God [by your actions]; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane [worldly] person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place [or other way] of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears [but never in God’s way]”.   Hebrews 12:14-17.

We can see some more of this next week,

Bye,

RonP

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