Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah:
These names are significant as they represent the tribal leaders or chiefs of the Edomites. Nahath means "rest" or "quiet," Zerah means "rising" or "dawning," Shammah means "astonishment" or "desolation," and Mizzah means "fear" or "terror." These names may reflect the characteristics or the destinies of their respective tribes. The listing of these sons also serves to document the genealogical records that were important for maintaining tribal identities and inheritance rights in ancient cultures.

They are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath:
Basemath, also known as Mahalath in some texts, was one of Esau's wives and a daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's other son. This marriage signifies a union between the lines of Abraham through Isaac and Ishmael, which has implications for the relationships between the Israelites and the surrounding nations. The mention of Basemath as their grandmother underscores the interconnectedness of the patriarchal families and highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to make Esau a great nation, despite his separation from the covenant line through Jacob.

Reuel, the son of Esau and Basemath (Genesis 36:4), stands at the center of this verse. By naming his children, Scripture marks the third generation of the Edomite line and underlines God’s faithfulness to His word: Abraham would father many nations (Genesis 17:4-6), and Rebekah’s twins would become two distinct peoples (Genesis 25:23). Every name confirms that promise. Genealogies like this one are repeated verbatim in 1 Chronicles 1:35-37, underscoring their historical reliability and importance.

• The phrase “These are” declares a factual record, not a legend.

• Tracing the family tree highlights how swiftly Esau’s descendants multiplied (cf. Deuteronomy 2:4-5, where they are already a distinct nation).

• The care with which God lists these names shows His personal knowledge of every individual (cf. Isaiah 43:1).

The first‐listed son often signals precedence or special prominence. Nahath later appears among the “chiefs” of Edom (Genesis 36:17), meaning he led a clan that carried his name.

• His position hints at rapid social organization within Edom, fulfilling Isaac’s prophecy that Esau would live by his own strength (Genesis 27:39-40).

• 1 Chronicles 1:37 repeats his name, reinforcing the stability of the text’s witness.

Zerah’s branch also grew influential. A later verse records a king from Edom named Jobab, “son of Zerah from Bozrah” (Genesis 36:33).

• That detail shows political development flowing out of this one household.

• The same pattern—name, clan, then city—matches how Israel’s tribes would later settle (Joshua 14–19), reminding us that God oversees nations beyond Israel too (Jeremiah 27:5).

Shammah receives less narrative attention, yet his inclusion ensures no member of the covenant story is forgotten.

• Psalm 147:4 praises God for counting and naming the stars; here He does the same with people.

• Shammah’s listing alongside his brothers illustrates family unity, even though Edom and Israel would often clash (Numbers 20:14-21).

The final brother rounds out the set, completing the picture of Reuel’s household. His name reappears only in genealogical records (Genesis 36:17; 1 Chronicles 1:37), but that consistency testifies to Scripture’s precision.

• Luke 20:37-38 reminds us that God “is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” so Mizzah’s recorded name affirms his ongoing significance before God.

• Each Edomite clan helped populate the territory south of the Dead Sea (Genesis 36:20-21), fulfilling the promise that Esau’s line would possess a homeland (Obadiah 6).

By specifying Basemath, the text links this entire sub-family to Ishmael’s line, for Basemath was Ishmael’s daughter (Genesis 28:9; 36:3).

• The marriage joined two Abrahamic branches—Esau (through Isaac) and Ishmael—foreshadowing the mingled history of their descendants (Genesis 25:13, 18).

• Mentioning the grandmother keeps covenant history front-and-center: God’s dealings span generations (Exodus 3:15).

• This detail also protects the record from confusion, since Esau had other wives and children (Genesis 26:34; 36:10).

Genesis 36:13 is far more than a roll call. It documents the literal, historical growth of Esau’s family into distinct clans, showing God’s promises unfolding exactly as spoken. Each name under Reuel—Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah—represents a clan that would shape Edom’s future. By anchoring them to Basemath, Scripture ties the Edomites back to both Isaac and Ishmael, demonstrating that every branch of Abraham’s family tree matters in God’s ongoing plan.