TWO ACCOUNTS OF TWIN BROTHERS

Passage: Genesis 36:1-37:11

Key verse: 37:2a

NIV

Esau’s Descendants(A)(B)

36 This is the account(C) of the family line of Esau (that is, Edom).(D)

2 Esau took his wives from the women of Canaan:(E) Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite,(F) and Oholibamah(G) daughter of Anah(H) and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite(I)— 3 also Basemath(J) daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.(K)

4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel,(L) 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam and Korah.(M) These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in Canaan.

6 Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan,(N) and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob.(O) 7 Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock.(P) 8 So Esau(Q) (that is, Edom)(R) settled in the hill country of Seir.(S)

9 This is the account(T) of the family line of Esau the father of the Edomites(U) in the hill country of Seir.

10 These are the names of Esau’s sons:

Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.(V)

11 The sons of Eliphaz:(W)

Teman,(X) Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz.(Y)

12 Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine(Z) named Timna, who bore him Amalek.(AA) These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.(AB)

13 The sons of Reuel:

Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.(AC)

14 The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah(AD) daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon, whom she bore to Esau:

Jeush, Jalam and Korah.(AE)

15 These were the chiefs(AF) among Esau’s descendants:

The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau:

Chiefs Teman,(AG) Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,(AH) 16 Korah,[a] Gatam and Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz(AI) in Edom;(AJ) they were grandsons of Adah.(AK)

17 The sons of Esau’s son Reuel:(AL)

Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in Edom; they were grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.(AM)

18 The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah:(AN)

Chiefs Jeush, Jalam and Korah.(AO) These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah.

19 These were the sons of Esau(AP) (that is, Edom),(AQ) and these were their chiefs.(AR)

20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite,(AS) who were living in the region:

Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,(AT) 21 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These sons of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs.(AU)

22 The sons of Lotan:

Hori and Homam.[b] Timna was Lotan’s sister.

23 The sons of Shobal:

Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam.

24 The sons of Zibeon:(AV)

Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs[c](AW) in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys(AX) of his father Zibeon.

25 The children of Anah:(AY)

Dishon and Oholibamah(AZ) daughter of Anah.

26 The sons of Dishon[d]:

Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.

27 The sons of Ezer:

Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan.

28 The sons of Dishan:

Uz and Aran.

29 These were the Horite chiefs:

Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,(BA) 30 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These were the Horite chiefs,(BB) according to their divisions, in the land of Seir.

The Rulers of Edom(BC)

31 These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king(BD) reigned:

32 Bela son of Beor became king of Edom. His city was named Dinhabah.

33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah(BE) succeeded him as king.

34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites(BF) succeeded him as king.

35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian(BG) in the country of Moab,(BH) succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith.

36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king.

37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth(BI) on the river succeeded him as king.

38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Akbor succeeded him as king.

39 When Baal-Hanan son of Akbor died, Hadad[e] succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.

40 These were the chiefs(BJ) descended from Esau, by name, according to their clans and regions:

Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they occupied.

This is the family line of Esau, the father of the Edomites.(BK)

Joseph’s Dreams

37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed,(BL) the land of Canaan.(BM)

2 This is the account(BN) of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph,(BO) a young man of seventeen,(BP) was tending the flocks(BQ) with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah(BR) and the sons of Zilpah,(BS) his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report(BT) about them.

3 Now Israel(BU) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,(BV) because he had been born to him in his old age;(BW) and he made an ornate[f] robe(BX) for him.(BY) 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him(BZ) and could not speak a kind word to him.

5 Joseph had a dream,(CA) and when he told it to his brothers,(CB) they hated him all the more.(CC) 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves(CD) of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”(CE)

8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?”(CF) And they hated him all the more(CG) because of his dream and what he had said.

9 Then he had another dream,(CH) and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars(CI) were bowing down to me.”(CJ)

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers,(CK) his father rebuked(CL) him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”(CM) 11 His brothers were jealous of him,(CN) but his father kept the matter in mind.(CO)

Footnotes
  1. Genesis 36:16 Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch (also verse 11 and 1 Chron. 1:36) does not have Korah.
  2. Genesis 36:22 Hebrew Hemam, a variant of Homam (see 1 Chron. 1:39)
  3. Genesis 36:24 Vulgate; Syriac discovered water; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Genesis 36:26 Hebrew Dishan, a variant of Dishon
  5. Genesis 36:39 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 1:50); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Hadar
  6. Genesis 37:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verses 23 and 32.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Esau's Descendants

36 These are the generations of Esau (that is, (A)Edom). 2 Esau (B)took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, (C)Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter[a] of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and (D)Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. 4 And Adah bore to Esau, (E)Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 (F)For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. (G)The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau settled in (H)the hill country of Seir. ((I)Esau is Edom.)

9 These are the generations of Esau the father of (J)the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau's sons: (K)Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 (Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau's son; she bore (L)Amalek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of Adah, Esau's wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 14 These are the sons of (M)Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

15 These are (N)the chiefs of the sons of Esau. (O)The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: the chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek; these are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. 17 These are the sons of (P)Reuel, Esau's son: the chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah; these are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 18 These are the sons of (Q)Oholibamah, Esau's wife: the chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah; these are the chiefs born of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau ((R)that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.

20 (S)These are the sons of (T)Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25 These are the children of Anah: Dishon and (U)Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs of the Horites: the (V)chiefs Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, chief by chief in the land of Seir.

31 (W)These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites. 32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 33 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 36 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 Samlah died, and Shaul of (X)Rehoboth on the Euphrates[b] reigned in his place. 38 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39 Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pau; his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

40 These are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their clans and their dwelling places, by their names: the chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, (Y)Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of (Z)Edom), according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession.

Joseph's Dreams

37 Jacob lived in (AA)the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

2 These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought (AB)a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was (AC)the son of his old age. And he made him (AD)a robe of many colors.[c] 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, (AE)my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and (AF)bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and (AG)your mother and your brothers indeed come (AH)to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And (AI)his brothers were jealous of him, (AJ)but his father kept the saying in mind.

Footnotes
  1. Genesis 36:2 Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac son; also verse 14
  2. Genesis 36:37 Hebrew the River
  3. Genesis 37:3 See Septuagint, Vulgate; or (with Syriac) a robe with long sleeves. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain; also verses 23, 32
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Chapters 36 and 37 are two accounts of the brothers Esau and Jacob, respectively. Their stories began back in Genesis 25:19, when they were conceived in their mother’s womb as twins. Esau was the firstborn son but sold his birthright to Jacob (25:34b). He preferred a bowl of lentil soup, which met his temporary needs, to his birthright. On the other hand, Jacob, a conniving man, robbed his older twin brother of his birthright—buying it when Esau was famished and later resorting to outright deception (Gen 27). Jacob’s methods were wrong.

The accounts of the twin brothers are different in that Jacob inherited God’s Abrahamic covenant blessing—and Esau didn’t. As God promised, Esau also grew in numbers and became the father of twelve rulers (17:20). But he did not have God’s covenant blessing as it was given to Jacob—to become a blessing to all peoples on earth (12:2-3). His descendants, the Edomites, remained on earth as enemies of God’s people (cf. Psalms 83:4-6).

In the end, God did not choose Jacob because he was perfect with great virtues. Rather, according to the author of Hebrews, superintended by the Holy Spirit, the blame was on Esau “...who for a single meal sold his inheritance right as the oldest son” (Heb 12:16b).

Prayer: Father, help me always remain in your covenant blessings despite myself. Amen.

One Word: Hold on to God’s covenant blessings