Genesis 36:2 kjv

Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;

Genesis 36:2 nkjv

Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;

Genesis 36:2 niv

Esau took his wives from the women of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite?

Genesis 36:2 esv

Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite,

Genesis 36:2 nlt

Esau married two young women from Canaan: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite.

Genesis 36 verses

Genesis 36 2 Meaning

Genesis 36:2 records two of Esau's wives and their familial origins: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite. This detail underscores Esau's choice to marry women from among the indigenous Canaanite peoples, a stark contrast to the endogamous marriage patterns established for the covenant line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The verse serves to highlight a primary reason for the divergence of Esau's lineage (Edom) from that of Jacob (Israel).

Genesis 36 2 Context

Genesis chapter 36 serves as a significant interruption in the main narrative of the patriarchs, providing a comprehensive genealogy of Esau (Edom) before returning to Jacob's story in detail from Genesis 37. Its placement here highlights the separation of Esau's lineage from the direct line of the covenant. The chapter documents Esau's wives, children, and descendants, along with their dwelling places and the chiefs that arose from them. Historically, this chapter explains the origins of the Edomite people, who would become Israel's geographical neighbor and frequent adversary. Genesis 36:2 is pivotal because it immediately establishes a key characteristic of Esau's household: his decision to marry from the local Canaanite population. This decision profoundly shaped the spiritual and cultural trajectory of his descendants, contrasting sharply with Isaac's careful arrangement for Jacob to marry outside Canaan.

Genesis 36 2 Word analysis

• Esau (עֵשָׂו, Esav): A proper noun identifying Isaac and Rebekah's firstborn son. His actions in this verse distinguish his family's path from that of Jacob's, establishing the distinct Edomite nation.
• took (וַיִּקַּח, wayyiqqaḥ): A common Hebrew verb meaning "and he took/acquired." This denotes his active choice and initiative in securing these wives for himself.
• his wives (נָשָׁיו֙, nashav): Plural of אִשָּׁה (ishah), meaning "woman" or "wife," with a possessive suffix. This indicates these women were the principal or established partners of Esau. While Gen 26:34-35 mentions earlier Canaanite wives, these names in Gen 36 are particularly significant as mothers of prominent Edomite clans.
• from the daughters of (בְּנוֹת, bənot): The construct plural of בַּת (bat), "daughter." This phrasing directly links the wives to their ethnic and familial origins, emphasizing their non-Abrahamic background.
• Canaan (כְּנָעַן֙, Kena‘an): A proper noun identifying the land and its Hamitic inhabitants, cursed by Noah. Marrying "daughters of Canaan" was a clear departure from the marital pattern practiced and commanded for the Abrahamic covenant line (Gen 24:3; 28:1).
• Adah (עָדָה֙, Adah): A proper name, listed as one of Esau's wives and a matriarch for a significant Edomite lineage (Gen 36:4, 10).
• daughter of (בַּת, bat): Connects Adah to her father Elon.
• Elon (אֵילֹון֙, Elon): A proper name, identified as the father of Adah.
• the Hittite (הַחִתִּ֥י, haḥittî): An ethnonym. The Hittites were a major ethnic group descended from Heth, a son of Canaan (Gen 10:15). Their presence among Esau's in-laws signifies deep intermingling with the local populations, reinforcing the Canaanite connection.
• and Aholibamah (וְאָהֳלִיבָמָה֙, wə'āholîvāmāh): A proper name. She is the second prominent wife mentioned here and mother of three Edomite chiefs (Gen 36:5, 14).
• daughter of (בַּת, bat): Connects Aholibamah to her father Anah.
• Anah (עֲנָה֙, Anah): A proper name. Aholibamah's father. Uniquely identified as "the daughter of Zibeon," which most likely signifies Anah's prominent lineage or refers to Anah (a male figure, cf. Gen 36:20) being a direct descendant ("son/daughter of") in a tribal sense or is a rare construct for tracing a female lineage via a male's ancestral connection (Anah the son of Zibeon is confirmed later in 36:20). Thus Aholibamah is Granddaughter of Zibeon, through Anah.
• the daughter of (בַּת, bat): Reiterates Anah's ancestral connection to Zibeon, adding further detail to Aholibamah's background and emphasizing her significant lineage among the Horites/Hivites.
• Zibeon (צִבְעֹ֔ון, tsiv‘ôn): A proper name, associated with the Hivites and listed as the father of Anah (Gen 36:20).
• the Hivite (הַחִוִּֽי׃, haḥiwwî): An ethnonym, also descendants of Canaan (Gen 10:17). Like the Hittites, the Hivites were another Canaanite people whom God commanded Israel not to intermarry with, due to the risk of idolatry (Deut 7:1-5).

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: This phrase succinctly encapsulates Esau's pivotal marital choices, directly contrasting them with the practices of the covenant family. While Abraham's descendants diligently sought partners from their kin (e.g., Isaac and Jacob marrying women from Paddan Aram), Esau opted for alliances with the local Canaanite populations. This decision caused deep parental sorrow and symbolically aligned Esau's lineage with the inhabitants destined for displacement rather than the inheritors of the land's spiritual promise.
• Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite: These specific names and their detailed genealogies confirm the depth of Esau's integration into Canaanite society. The explicit naming of Hittite and Hivite tribes emphasizes his ties to groups whose wickedness would lead to their dispossession. Aholibamah's extended lineage "daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon" highlights her significant status within her tribe, pointing to the crucial alliances Esau made. This thorough naming process serves as the genealogical foundation for the future Edomite chiefs, directly connecting Esau's descendants to these non-covenantal people groups.

Genesis 36 2 Bonus section

• The appearance of these specific wives in Gen 36, compared to different names for Esau's Canaanite wives in Gen 26:34-35, has led to scholarly discussion. Some propose these are either alternative traditions being integrated, additional wives taken by Esau at different points in his life (Gen 36:3 lists a third wife, Mahalath, who was Ishmael's daughter), or perhaps the names refer to the most genealogically significant matriarchs for the developing Edomite tribal structure.
• The extensive detail for Aholibamah's lineage, "daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon," is striking and underscores her significant standing. Anah is also a prominent figure in the Horite genealogy in Gen 36:20-21. This dual reference provides rich data on the intermingling of Esau's line with the indigenous people already in the land of Seir.
• This verse subtly reinforces the divine plan for Abraham's descendants to be a "set-apart" people, highlighting the contrast by showing Esau's choices led to the integration of his lineage with those whom God had foretold would be dispossessed.

Genesis 36 2 Commentary

Genesis 36:2, though brief, carries profound theological weight in explaining the trajectory of Esau's descendants. By listing his wives from the "daughters of Canaan"—specifically Hittite and Hivite women—the text subtly but powerfully underlines Esau's practical rejection of the spiritual separation required for the covenant family. Unlike his brother Jacob, who, at Isaac's instruction, journeyed far to secure a wife from within their broader Mesopotamian kin, Esau disregarded his parents' expressed concerns and the implicit call to a distinct holy life. His choices brought sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 26:34-35). This verse acts as a silent commentary on Esau's character: worldly-minded, valuing immediate gratification and earthly alliances over his sacred heritage. The detailed genealogy, linking his wives to specific Canaanite tribes destined for judgment and removal from the land, prophetically explains why Esau's lineage (Edom) would be distinct and ultimately outside the primary flow of God's covenant blessing, setting the stage for later national rivalries between Israel and Edom.