The Generations of Esau (Genesis 36:1-30)

Our text today is the genealogy found in Genesis 36. I know, I know… most of us don’t enjoy reading the genealogies in Scripture. But I firmly believe that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). That’s why I’m devoted to studying the Word of God by making my way through a book of Bible verse-by-verse, not allowing myself to skip over difficult passages, but finding value in each and every one.

So, even those lists that we think are boring, endless, or meaningless can add value to our spiritual lives. Even those names that seem irrelevant to us today can be used to instruct us, teach us, and train us for righteousness. So how about we compromise? I won’t spend several devotions analyzing the genealogy in Genesis 36, but we will look at it today.

Please read Genesis 36:1-30.

You made it through! Congratulations! It wasn’t that hard, was it?

Hopefully, you noticed the two names that should stand out to any careful Bible reader: Edom and Amalek. Esau was of course also known as Edom, and from him came the nation known as the Edomites. Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and Timna, is the most likely father of the Amalekites (there are some interesting disputes on this that we can discuss later, if you’re really into that sort of thing, but they are insufficient to discuss here).

These two nations, the Edomites and the Amalekites, cause no end of trouble for the Israelites. From preventing Israel from passing through their territory after crossing the Red Sea, to invading Israel during the time of the judges, to attacking Israel during the time of the kings, Edom and Amalek have produced some of the most persistent enemies Israel would ever know. And where did they come from? Not from some distant, unknown enemy, but from Jacob’s brother.

Esau and Jacob could not get along. Their faux reconciliation at Jacob’s return from Laban’s was a sham. Jacob had stolen Esau’s birthright, he’d stolen Esau’s blessing, and now he was cashing those in as he replaced Esau in the Promised Land.

Jacob was a deceiver and a trickster, and he never truly reconciled with his brother. Now we see the fruit of their dissension. In this genealogy we note that Esau’s descendants will never forgive Jacob’s descendants. This blood feud will last for generations.

What a warning for us today! The Bible warns us, “do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Eph. 4:26), and to reconcile quickly with both our brother (Matthew 5:23-24), and our adversary (Luke 12:58). If we leave strife to fester, it will only lead to more strife. Whether it happens in our lifetime or in the lives of our children’s, children’s children, our failure to reconcile will reap negative consequences.

So, learn from the generations of Esau, and forgive those who have sinned against you, ask forgiveness from those against whom you have sinned, and be reconciled before it’s too late.