of Esau
Esau, whose name in Hebrew is "עֵשָׂו" (Esav), is a central figure in the Genesis narrative. He is the elder son of Isaac and Rebekah and the twin brother of Jacob. The name Esau is often associated with the Hebrew word "עָשָׂה" (asah), meaning "to do" or "to make," possibly reflecting his active, outdoorsman lifestyle. Esau's account is one of complex family dynamics, including themes of birthright, blessing, and reconciliation. His life serves as a contrast to Jacob's, highlighting different responses to God's promises and human choices. Esau's narrative reminds readers of the consequences of prioritizing immediate desires over spiritual inheritance.

(that is, Edom)
The parenthetical phrase "(that is, Edom)" provides a significant identification of Esau with the nation of Edom. The name "Edom" comes from the Hebrew "אֱדוֹם" (Edom), meaning "red," which is linked to the red stew for which Esau sold his birthright (Genesis 25:30). This connection between Esau and Edom is crucial, as it establishes the origin of the Edomites, a people who play a significant role in Israel's history. The Edomites, descendants of Esau, often had contentious relations with the Israelites, descendants of Jacob. This phrase underscores the fulfillment of God's promise to make Esau a great nation, even as it foreshadows the complex interactions between these two related peoples throughout biblical history. The mention of Edom here serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty in the unfolding of history and the intricate tapestry of human relationships within His divine plan.

THE T?LD?TH ESAU.

(1) The generations of Esau.--This toldoth, consisting of Genesis 36:1 to Genesis 37:1, is very remarkable, if it were only for the difficulties with which it abounds, and which have too often been aggravated by the determination of commentators to make Holy Scripture bend to their pre-conceived ideas as to what it ought to be, instead of dutifully accepting it as it is. It begins with an enumeration of Esau's wives, in which the names are different from those given in Genesis 26:34; Genesis 28:9. Next we have the genealogy of Esau, upon the same principle as that whereby the toldoth Ishmael was inserted immediately after the history of Abraham's death (Genesis 25:12-18); but this is followed, in Genesis 36:20-30, by a genealogy of the Horite inhabitants of Mount Seir. Among these Esau dwelt as the predominant power, but nevertheless on friendly terms, for a reason which we shall see hereafter. We next have a list of kings who are said to have reigned in Edom "before there reigned any king over the children of Israel." This is not a prophetical portion of the Bible, but a dry genealogical table, and the attempts made to evade the plain meaning of the words, namely, that at the time when this list of kings was written there were kings in Israel, are painful to read, and can have no other effect than to harden sceptics in unbelief. Of these Edomite kings, it is remarkable that they do not succeed one another by hereditary succession, nor have they the same capital, but seem to belong to a time of anarchy, like that which existed in Israel under the Judges. During this period the Edomites and Horites were fused together, chiefly by conquest (Deuteronomy 2:12; Deuteronomy 2:22), but partly also by the gradual dying out of the inferior race, just as the red man is fading away in North America, and the Maori in New Zealand. Finally, we have a list of the eleven dukes of Edom, "after their places." As these dukes represented tribes or clans, this catalogue is geographical, and as such it is described in Genesis 36:43, and was intended to give the political arrangement of the land at the later date when this addition was made, and when considerable changes had taken place since the time of the first settlement. . . .