Genesis 36:13 kjv

And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

Genesis 36:13 nkjv

These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

Genesis 36:13 niv

The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were grandsons of Esau's wife Basemath.

Genesis 36:13 esv

These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

Genesis 36:13 nlt

The descendants of Reuel were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the descendants of Esau's wife Basemath.

Genesis 36 verses

Genesis 36 13 Meaning

Genesis 36:13 provides a specific segment of the genealogical record of Esau's descendants, focusing on the lineage of Reuel, who was a son of Esau through his wife Basemath. The verse names Reuel's four sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. The concluding phrase, "these were the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife," serves to clarify and trace the specific branch of Esau's extensive family back to one of his key wives, emphasizing the matriarchal line of this particular clan within Edom. This record meticulously details the family tree of a distinct nation, highlighting its separate yet parallel development to that of Jacob's descendants.

Genesis 36 13 Context

Genesis chapter 36 serves as a "toledoth," or genealogical record, of Esau (also known as Edom) and his descendants. This chapter meticulously traces the family lines, wives, sons, chiefs, and kings of the nation of Edom, which grew parallel to Israel. Verse 13 is situated within the broader section detailing Esau's sons by his different wives. It specifically follows the introduction of Esau's wife Basemath (Ishmael's daughter) and their son Reuel, then expands on Reuel's direct descendants. The purpose of this comprehensive list is multifaceted: to demonstrate the fulfillment of God's prophecy regarding Esau's multitude (Gen 25:23), to establish the distinct identity and nationhood of Edom as a separate entity from Israel, and to provide the historical backdrop for future interactions and conflicts between the two brother nations. The precision of the lineage records underscores the divine organization of nations and the meticulous care taken in biblical history.

Genesis 36 13 Word analysis

• These were the sons of Reuel:

  • These (וְאֵלֶּה - v’elleh): A demonstrative pronoun, common in genealogies to introduce a list of descendants or family members, indicating "and these" or "now these are." It signifies a continuation and a new, specific branch being introduced.
  • were the sons of (בְּנֵי - b’ney): "Sons of" or "descendants of." This phrase indicates a direct paternal lineage.
  • Reuel (רְעוּאֵל - Rĕ'û'êl): Meaning "Friend of God" or "Shepherd of God." He is explicitly identified as a son of Esau and Basemath in Genesis 36:4 and 36:10. His name itself might carry a subtle theological weight, suggesting a relationship (or the ideal for a relationship) with God, even in a line not of the primary covenant.

• Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah:

  • These are the names of Reuel's four sons, making them grandsons of Esau and Basemath. As names within a strict genealogical list, their individual meanings are less central than their role in extending the family line.
    • Nahath (נַחַת - Naḥath): Means "descent," "resting," or "quietness."
    • Zerah (זֶרַח - Zeraḥ): Means "rising," "shining," or "dawning" (like the sun).
    • Shammah (שַׁמָּה - Shammah): Means "hearing," "report," or "ruin" (less common meaning).
    • Mizzah (מִזָּה - Mizzah): Means "fainting," "terror," or "dissolution."

• these were the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife:

  • these were the sons of (וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי - v’elleh b’ney): Grammatically, this clause refers back to Reuel, clarifying that Reuel himself (and therefore his sons, the specific subject of this verse) belonged to the lineage originating from Basemath. It does not mean Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah were directly Basemath's sons (they were her grandsons). It’s a clarification of the preceding patriarch's origin.
  • Basemath (בָּשְׂמַת - Bāśmâth): Meaning "fragrant," "sweet smelling." In Genesis 36:3, this specific Basemath is identified as "Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebaioth." She is one of Esau's key wives, connecting Esau's line also to Ishmael's line (Abraham's other son), thus showing another branch of Abrahamic descendants developing into a nation.
  • Esau's wife (אֵשֶׁת עֵשָׂו - 'Ēsheth 'Ēśāv): Identifies Basemath's status and confirms the specific "Basemath" from whom Reuel's lineage descends, distinguishing her from other wives of similar names (e.g., Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite, mentioned in Gen 26:34).

• Words-group Analysis (the entire verse):

  • The verse as a whole serves as a precise link in the genealogical chain of Esau, moving from the first generation (Reuel, son of Esau) to the second generation (Reuel's sons). It highlights the method of biblical genealogies, which meticulously record family lines through named individuals.
  • The structure "These were the sons of X... these were the sons of Y..." provides essential clarity in tracking lineage, ensuring that future readers understood exactly who belonged to which part of Esau's extensive family. It underpins the concept of national identity and distinct heritage in the ancient Near East, which had significant theological implications for the unfolding of God's plan through different nations.

Genesis 36 13 Bonus section

The detailed genealogical record of Esau in Genesis 36, of which verse 13 is a part, highlights several less obvious points:

• Completeness of Record: The very act of including such an exhaustive genealogy for Esau, much like Jacob's, underscores the biblical narrative's claim to comprehensive historical documentation. It asserts God's sovereign oversight not only of the covenant people but of other nations as well, and His meticulous recording of their origins.
• Foreshadowing National Structure: By listing "chiefs" and then later "kings" within Edom (Gen 36:15-19, 36:31-39), the chapter, including the enumeration of specific lines like Reuel's, shows a rapidly developing nation, already organized into tribal structures and anticipating monarchy. This prefigures Israel's own monarchical period, placing Edom's development on a parallel, and in some aspects, even an earlier timeline regarding formal kingship.
• Theological Purpose of Genealogies: Such lists prevent human imagination from inserting "missing links" or alternative origins for rival nations. They demonstrate that both nations descended from Isaac, and ultimately Abraham, making their later conflicts and distinct destinies profoundly theological as well as geopolitical.

Genesis 36 13 Commentary

Genesis 36:13, though seemingly a simple listing of names, is a vital component of the meticulous record of Esau's descendants, establishing the foundational structure of the nation of Edom. It directly informs us of four significant grandsons of Esau, highlighting the growth and organization of his family. The clarification that these are part of the lineage originating from Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, implicitly reinforces the broader Abrahamic connections within Esau's progeny, though outside the specific covenant line that passed through Isaac and Jacob. This detail reveals that God's providence extended even to those not directly in the covenant heirship, allowing for their separate development as distinct nations, just as promised to Rebekah (Gen 25:23). This systematic enumeration demonstrates the historicity and integrity of the biblical narrative, providing context for the later, often contentious, relationship between Israel and Edom. It's not merely a "who begat whom" list, but a divine historical account shaping the interactions of nations in biblical history.