Summary https://marksbiblejourney.blogspot.com/2019/10/genesis.html
"Written in this chapter is the family lineage of Esau and Seir. Also written in this chapter are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites. All of Esau's wives were Canaanite women. Esau had five sons from three different wives. Adah's son was Eliphaz, Basemath's son was Reuel, and Oholibamah's sons were Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. Esau lived away from his brother and family; he settled with his family in the mountains of Seir. Esau was the father of the Edomites."
Reading from the Amplified Bible (AMP) version..
- "Now these are the records of the descendants of Esau, (that is, Edom). Esau took his [three] wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon the Hivite, and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth. Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel, and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau born to him in Canaan." v.1-5
- "Now Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all the members of his household, and his livestock and all his cattle and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and he went to a land away from his brother Jacob. For their [great flocks and herds and] possessions made it impossible for them to live together [in the same region]; the land in which they lived temporarily could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom." v.6-8
My personal observations and reflections...
The whole Genesis Chapter 36 was all about Esau (the eldest twin), and his descendants. In the span of 20 years apart from his brother Jacob-- Esau's household also grew. Like Jacob, he also accumulated wealth and riches in the land of Canaan. At first, it made me wonder what is the significance of knowing in full detail Esau's family tree-- after all, what's important is the Abrahamic Covenant promise through Jacob/Israel. But upon reading some great Bible commentaries and resources, I have learned that Esau's family will also play a significant role in the story of Israel (as an nation and as a people), although not so much in a good way. A "sibling rivalry" that will continue to the next generations.* "This chapter testifies to the fertility, prosperity, and political power that Esau and his descendants find in their homeland of Edom." –Linda B. Hinton https://dwellingintheword.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/1427-genesis-36/
Below are some of the interesting things I have learned about this particular chapter:
- OUTSIDE BEAUTY AND SUCCESS. Genesis 25:27 (NKJV) says "And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents." This may be one of the reasons why Esau was able to interact and engage with Canaanites; he was always out in the country.
I was reminded of this verse. It's good to be beautiful and godly, inside and out.❤️
"Your adornment must not be merely external—with interweaving and elaborate knotting of the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or [being superficially preoccupied with] dressing in expensive clothes; but let it be [the inner beauty of] the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, [one that is calm and self-controlled, not overanxious, but serene and spiritually mature] which is very precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:3-4
- ISRAEL'S FUTURE ENEMIES. "In Esau’s family tree, his most famous descendent is probably his grandson Amalek (36:12). Author Stephen M. Miller, in A Visual Walk Through Genesis, page 145, says the Amalekites tried to stop Moses and the Jews from reaching the Promised Land, and that King David later defeated them and annexed their region. Do you think that’s the point of the family tree? Or do you think there were other reasons the Genesis writer included it?" --Discussion Question https://www.casualenglishbible.com/genesis-36/
Wow! It seems that it was the point of the family tree, to show the origins of Israel's enemies in the future-- when the time comes that Israel will receive God's promised land.
* "Who were the Amalekites?" https://www.gotquestions.org/Amalekites.html
"The Amalekites were a formidable tribe of nomads living in the area south of Canaan, between Mount Seir and the Egyptian border. The Amalekites are not listed in the table of nations in Genesis 10, as they did not originate until after Esau’s time. In Numbers 24:20 Balaam refers to the Amalekites as “first among the nations,” but he most likely meant only that the Amalekites were the first ones to attack the Israelites upon their exodus from Egypt or that the Amalekites were “first” in power at that time. Genesis 36 refers to the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau, as Amalekites (verses 12 and 16). So, the Amalekites were somehow related to, but distinct from, the Edomites."
* More amazing facts from https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/archives/guzik_david/StudyGuide_Gen/Gen_36.cfm!😱
"Edom and the Edomites are mentioned some 130 times in the Bible. They were an important group of “neighbors” to Israel.
- When the Israelites came through the wilderness to the Promised Land in the time of Moses, the Edomites refused them passage through their land (Numbers 20:21). This was a source of great discouragement for the nation (Numbers 21:4).
- Even so, God commanded special regard for the Edomites among Israel: You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother (Deuteronomy 23:7).
- In the days of Saul, Edom was made subject to Israel (1 Samuel 14:47), and David established garrisons there (2 Samuel 8:14). But later, in the days of Joram, the son of Ahab, the Edomites became independent of Israel (2 Kings 8:16-22).
- Several of the prophets spoke about and against Edom, including Jeremiah (Jeremiah 49:17-18) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 25:12-14).
- Herod the Great - the one who tried to kill the young child Jesus - was an Edomite. From the time Islam conquered the Middle East, the region has been virtually unoccupied, except for a few Bedouins and military outposts. It has been brought to nothing, as Obadiah had prophesied (the entire book of Obadiah records an extended prophecy against Edom)." –David Guzik
- These are great perspectives!💡
✔️Worldly Wisdom and leadership doesn't equal Spiritual Wisdom
✔️Political Power does not equal God's Power
✔️Temporal Prosperity does not equal to God's Eternal Promise
Let us strive for God's blessings that are according to His will, living a life that is according to His ways.. May we never forget that it is God who is our Provider, and He is the source of everything, so He alone deserve all the glory, praises and honor.🙌
"The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it." Proverbs 10:22
- GODLINESS vs. WORLDLINESS. Today I got reminded that 'we are on earth, but we are not of the earth', as followers/believers of God. The Bible clearly shows the 2 paths that we can choose in this life-- a life that trusts God and a life that trusts in our own strength (or a life that trusts and looks to the world/riches, instead of God.) And the story of the twins Esau and Jacob is one of this. Let us choose wisely.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
* More commentary about Jacob and Esau:
Romans 9:13 (NIV) "Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
"Today’s passage is in Genesis 36, covering the generations of Esau’s children. I continue to be focused on understanding what G-D means when He says, “Esau have I hated” as I listen to this passage. Let’s see:
- Esau fathered numerous sons with his three wives (and we can safely assume that there were numerous daughters among his progeny, as well; daughters who are not mentioned because they did no remarkable acts that would cause them to be remembered specially AND because, in that culture, they would have been counted in the families of their husbands estates when they married out of their father’s household).
- He is forced to move away from his brother (Israel), not because of smoldering resentments or family feuds, but simply because the land cannot support all of the people and livestock produced by the brothers. Sounds like a good problem to me!
- His sons and grandsons became kings and leaders of clans. They built cities and developed territories — the local equivalent of nations in their time.
- It seems they didn’t know the God of their great ancestors (Abraham and Isaac), or if they did, they turned away from that faith. Again, I note that we are never told that G-D ever spoke with Esau. The lands that they settled and developed were the highly productive lands of Canaan, which Israel’s descendants would later come to take by force, despising the pagan practices of their distant kin in that place and acting upon the direction they received by special revelation without ever questioning the logic or rightness of their actions.
This thing that the Bible describes as hatred looks like something completely different from what we think of as humans when we use the same word. We think about punishment when we use the word hatred. It’s not clear to me that G-D meant any such thing when He chose the word.
To an astounding degree, we humans continue to be guilty of the sin of Esau, just the same as the descendants of Israel were when they entered the land beyond the Jordan in the lust of conquest. We are more intent upon satisfying our appetites and needs than we are on preserving the peace and well-being of the whole family of humankind. We will sell off our future and all of the incumbent responsibilities/privileges in order to enjoy the satisfaction of our present impulse.
Strangely or not, every problem that plagues our 21st century world can really be traced back to this same type of offense at its root.
Only Jesus found a different way to deal with human need and impulse. He didn’t take, He didn’t clamor, He didn’t assert His rights, He simply trusted Abba God to make things come out right. Granted, I believe He knew His calling and God’s plan when He took His stand, but there He stood. And even in that knowing, I find guidance. If I am not equally assured of the unshakable commitment of Abba God in my choice, then I want to exercise discretion until that comes.
I can’t find another authentically altruistic model anywhere, however much I watch for one."
–Cat Bismuth https://dwellingintheword.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/1427-genesis-36/
Read the Bible here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+36&version=AMP
No comments:
Post a Comment