Genesis 36:8 kjv
Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
Genesis 36:8 nkjv
So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom.
Genesis 36:8 niv
So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir.
Genesis 36:8 esv
So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom.)
Genesis 36:8 nlt
So Esau (also known as Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir.
Genesis 36 verses
MeaningGenesis 36:8 declares Esau's permanent settlement in the region of Mount Seir, firmly establishing his identity as Edom, the patriarch and namesake of the nation of Edom. This verse definitively separates the lineage and territorial domain of Esau from that of Jacob, highlighting the distinct fulfillments of divine promises made to Abraham regarding two nations from his descendants.
Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 25:23 | "Two nations are in your womb... one people shall be stronger than the other; the elder shall serve the younger." | Prophecy of Jacob/Israel's superiority over Esau/Edom. |
| Gen 25:25 | The first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; so they called his name Esau. | Describes Esau's birth appearance. |
| Gen 25:30 | "Let me gulp down some of that red stuff; for I am famished!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.) | Links Esau's name "Edom" to red pottage and hunger. |
| Gen 32:3 | Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. | Establishes Esau's presence in Seir/Edom before Gen 36. |
| Gen 36:1 | These are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. | Introduction to Esau's genealogy, explicitly linking him to Edom. |
| Gen 36:9 | These are the generations of Esau, the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. | Reaffirms Esau as progenitor of Edomites in Seir. |
| Num 20:14-21 | Israel requests passage through Edom, but Edom refuses and confronts them with force. | Highlights later animosity and territorial distinctness. |
| Deut 2:1-5 | The LORD said to me, "You have been skirting this hill country long enough... do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land..." | God gave Esau Mount Seir as an inheritance, forbidding Israel to seize it. |
| Deut 23:7 | "You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother..." | Acknowledges the familial bond despite later conflicts. |
| Josh 24:4 | "...to Esau I gave Mount Seir to possess." | Divine allocation of territory to Esau. |
| 1 Sam 14:47 | When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against... Edom... wherever he turned. | Depicts ongoing conflict between Israel and Edom. |
| 2 Sam 8:13-14 | David also made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. | Record of David's conquest of Edom. |
| Ps 137:7 | Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem... "Lay it bare, lay it bare, to its very foundation!" | Curses Edom for complicity in Jerusalem's destruction. |
| Isa 34:5-6 | For my sword is drunk in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom... | Prophetic judgment against Edom. |
| Jer 49:7-10 | Concerning Edom... I have stripped Esau bare... | Prophetic judgment, describing Edom's desolation. |
| Lam 4:21 | Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom... The cup will pass through to you also; you will become drunk and strip yourself naked. | Foretells Edom's future judgment. |
| Eze 35:2-3 | "Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it..." | Another significant prophecy of desolation against Mount Seir/Edom. |
| Joel 3:19 | "Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness..." | Links Edom's fate with other nations facing judgment. |
| Amos 1:11-12 | "Thus says the LORD: 'For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment...'" | Condemns Edom's cruelty toward Israel, promising judgment. |
| Obad 1:1-18 | The vision of Obadiah... "Though you build high like the eagle... I will bring you down..." | Extensive prophecy against Edom's pride and ultimate destruction. |
| Mal 1:2-3 | "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated..." | Divine election; clarifies the basis of God's choice between the brothers. |
| Rom 9:13 | As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." | Paul's New Testament citation of Malachi 1:2-3, highlighting God's sovereign choice. |
| Heb 12:16 | ...that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. | Connects Esau's impulsivity to his disinheritance. |
Context
Genesis chapter 36 serves as a genealogical and territorial diversion within the broader narrative of Jacob, firmly detailing the lineage and settlements of Esau and his descendants. Coming directly after Jacob's return to Canaan and reunion with Esau, and before Jacob's family story resumes in earnest with Joseph (Genesis 37), this chapter systematically removes Esau's branch from the main patriarchal line. This establishes clear boundaries: while Jacob's descendants will inherit Canaan, Esau's people, the Edomites, are distinct and dwell in Mount Seir. The verse's brevity underlines a crucial separation and destiny; Esau's story of settled prosperity in Mount Seir ends here for the Israelite narrative, affirming God's particular covenant relationship with Jacob's line and providing a definitive geographical and relational context for future interactions between Israel and Edom.
Word analysis
- So (וַיֵּשֶׁב - vayyeshev): A consecutive perfect, indicating a consequence or continuation. Here, it denotes that Esau "settled" or "dwelled permanently" in Mount Seir. It's more than a temporary stay; it signifies a final relocation and establishment of his habitation and the seat of his developing nation. The root yashav (יָשַׁב) implies stability and continued presence.
- Esau (עֵשָׂו - ‘Esaw): Meaning "hairy" or "fully formed." He is the older son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Jacob. His name already foreshadowed a rough, earthy character. In this context, Esau is presented as the patriarch and foundational figure for the Edomite nation.
- dwelled (וַיֵּשֶׁב - vayyeshev): Repetition of the initial word (the Hebrew particle "so" is linked with this verb). It emphasizes the enduring nature of his settlement and separation from Jacob's descendants in Canaan.
- in Mount Seir (בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר - behar Se‘ir):
- Mount (הַר - har): Denotes a mountainous region, characteristic of Seir, a rugged terrain well-suited for a more nomadic, tribal existence that eventually developed into a kingdom.
- Seir (שֵׂעִיר - Se‘ir): Meaning "hairy" or "shaggy." This name likely refers to the densely wooded and rugged appearance of the mountain range located southeast of the Dead Sea, running south towards the Gulf of Aqaba. It has an onomatopoeic resonance with Esau's own name, emphasizing his inherent ruggedness and his destined place of dwelling. This territory was originally inhabited by the Horites (Gen 14:6), but Esau's descendants dispossessed them (Deut 2:12).
- Esau is Edom (עֵשָׂו הוּא אֱדוֹם - ‘Esaw hu ‘Edom): This clause is a direct equation, emphasizing Esau's alter-ego and the collective identity of his descendants.
- is (הוּא - hu): A direct declarative pronoun, unequivocally linking the individual Esau with the collective national identity "Edom."
- Edom (אֱדוֹם - ‘Edom): Meaning "red." This name is deeply significant, recalling Esau's reddish birth appearance (Gen 25:25) and, most notably, the red lentil stew for which he despised and sold his birthright (Gen 25:30). It thus links his identity and destiny to a moment of spiritual bankruptcy and physical appetite, establishing a symbolic foundation for the subsequent history of the nation of Edom in its frequent hostility towards Israel.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- So Esau dwelled: Marks a definitive conclusion to Esau's proximity to Jacob and his father's house in Canaan. His departure signals a clean geographical and familial separation as dictated by divine purpose. It establishes his claim over Seir.
- in Mount Seir: Specifies Esau's chosen and divinely allocated territory. This land, physically "hairy" and rough, aptly suits the patriarch "Esau," highlighting a deep symbolic connection between the man and his destined domain. This reinforces the idea that each brother received his inheritance as planned by God.
- Esau is Edom: This absolute declaration serves as the foundational statement for all subsequent biblical references to Esau's descendants. It confirms that the individual, with his distinctive traits, forms the core identity and nature of the entire nation. It emphasizes a unity of person, place, and people, crucial for understanding later Edomite history in relation to Israel.
Commentary
Genesis 36:8 is a concise yet profound statement marking a critical demarcation in biblical history. It formally establishes the separation of Esau’s lineage, the Edomites, from Jacob’s, the Israelites. The repeated identity marker, "Esau is Edom," cements his alternative name as the national identity, derived from the very characteristic (redness) linked to his dismissal of spiritual blessing for immediate gratification. Mount Seir, rugged and "hairy," becomes the fitting, distinct, and permanent inheritance for the "hairy" Esau and his "red" descendants, contrasting sharply with the promised land of Canaan designated for Jacob. This verse, therefore, highlights God's sovereignty in directing the course of nations, showing His provision for Esau while simultaneously focusing the redemptive narrative solely on Jacob, ensuring the purity of the covenant lineage. It reminds believers that God provides even for those who forgo greater blessings, but His specific covenant pathway runs distinct from Esau's temporal prosperity.
Bonus section
The consistent use of "hairy" (se‘ir for the mountain, ‘esaw for the man) and "red" (‘edom for the man and nation, referencing birth and pottage) throughout the narrative of Esau forms a coherent symbolic web. This interweaving of names and characteristics paints a complete picture of Esau/Edom's earthy, physical nature, their connection to a wilder landscape, and their foundation upon transient, immediate desires rather than spiritual inheritance. The divine allocation of Seir to Esau also subtly teaches about boundaries and inheritance; even outside the covenant line, God demonstrates order and provision, allocating territory distinctly to different peoples as He wills (Deut 2:4-5, Josh 24:4). This also preempts future land claims by Israel against Edom, maintaining their sovereign territories as established by divine decree.