Genesis 36:43
in Genesis 36Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. Esau was the father of the Edomites.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
chief Magdiel, chief Iram: these are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession. This is Esau, the father of the Edomites.
KJV
Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.
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This verse in Genesis 36
Commentary
6 notes on this verseLittle more is recorded than their names, because the history of those that were out of the church (though perhaps it might have been serviceable in politics) would have been of little use in divinity. It is in the church that the memorable instances are found of special grace, and special providence; for that is the enclosure, the rest is common.
This site's exposition
These are the names of Esau's chiefs
on Genesis 36:40-43
The chapter closes with chiefs again after the kings, and this list runs by families and regions, so the names are territories as much as men. Henry reads the order as a fall, from kings to chiefs and from crowns to coronets, and Clarke takes these for the chiefs holding the country when Israel came out of Egypt. Edom ends the chapter settled in the land it possessed.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
While the Israelites dwelt in the house of bondage, and their Canaan was only the land of promise, the Edomites dwelt in their own habitations, and Seir was in their possession.
These are the names - Observe here, 1. That only the names of Esau's sons and grand-sons are recorded: not their history, for it is the church that Moses preserves the records of, not of those that were without. The elders only that lived by faith obtained a good report.
Duke Magdiel, Duke Iram,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He is Esau the father of the Edomites - That is, The preceding list contains an account of the posterity of Esau, who was the father of Edom. Thus ends Esau’s history; for after this there is no farther account of his life, actions, or death, in the Pentateuch. 1. As Esau is so considerable a person in polemic divinity, it may be necessary, in this place especially, to say something farther of his conduct and character.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַלּ֥וּף | ʾaluf | chief | H441 → | 69 times |
| מַגְדִּיאֵ֖ל | magdiel | Magdiel | H4025 → | |
| אַלּ֣וּף | ʾaluf | chief | H441 → | 69 times |
| עִירָ֑ם | ʾiram | Iram | H5902 → | |
| אֵ֣לֶּה׀ | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| אַלּוּפֵ֣י | ʾalufei | [were] [the] chiefs of | H441 → | 69 times |
| אֱד֗וֹם | ʾedom | Edom | H123 → | 99 times |
| לְמֹֽשְׁבֹתָם֙ | lemoshevotam | to dwelling places their | H4186 → | 44 times |
| בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם | ʾachuzatam | possession their | H272 → | 66 times |
| ה֥וּא | hu' | that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| עֵשָׂ֖ו | ʾesav | [was] Esau | H6215 → | 97 times |
| אֲבִ֥י | ʾavi | [the] ancestor of | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אֱדֽוֹם׃ פ | ʾedom | Edom | H123 → | 99 times |
אַלּ֥וּףchief
ʾalufH441 →69 times
מַגְדִּיאֵ֖לMagdiel
magdielH4025 →
אַלּ֣וּףchief
ʾalufH441 →69 times
עִירָ֑םIram
ʾiramH5902 →
אֵ֣לֶּה׀these
ʾelehH428 →746 times
אַלּוּפֵ֣י[were] [the] chiefs of
ʾalufeiH441 →69 times
אֱד֗וֹםEdom
ʾedomH123 →99 times
לְמֹֽשְׁבֹתָם֙to dwelling places their
lemoshevotamH4186 →44 times
בְּאֶ֣רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
אֲחֻזָּתָ֔םpossession their
ʾachuzatamH272 →66 times
ה֥וּאthat
hu'H1931 →1879 times
עֵשָׂ֖ו[was] Esau
ʾesavH6215 →97 times
אֲבִ֥י[the] ancestor of
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
אֱדֽוֹם׃ פEdom
ʾedomH123 →99 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 2:5Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a footprint, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as his possession.
it leads to
- Joshua 24:4
and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
- Genesis 36:8
So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.
- Joshua 24:4
Through
Genesis 25:12This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.
it leads to
- Psalms 83:6
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,
- Genesis 21:13
But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”
- Genesis 17:20
As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make…
- Psalms 83:6
Through
Exodus 15:15Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,
it leads to
- Joshua 5:1
Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until…
- Joshua 2:9
and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting…
- Joshua 2:11
When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.
- Joshua 5:1
About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.