Esau’s Wives

The women Esau married had all descended from Canaan. (Canaan was Ham’s 4th son.)

Adah (whose name means “ornament”) was the daughter of Elon the Hittite. (Hittites descended from Canaan’s 2nd son, Heth.)
Oholibamah (whose name means “tent of the high place”) was the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite (Hivites descended from Canaan’s son, Ham)
Basemath (whose name means “spice”) was the daughter of Ishmael and brother of Nebaioth

Esau’s Sons

With Adah:

Eliphaz

With Basemath:

Reuel

With Oholibamah:

Jeush
Jalam
Korah

Esau Moves Away from Jacob

Esau’s sons were born in Canaan, but then Esau took his entire household and moved away from his brother Jacob. When he moved, he took his entire household, including his wives, sons, daughters, livestock, and everything he owned. The reason why he moved was because Jacob and Esau had accumulated so much property that they couldn’t live in the same place—their animals needed more land. So Esau moved to the mountainous region of Seir which was also known as Edom. [Seir means “hairy” just like “Esau.” It was located south of the Dead Sea, and Esau was its patriarch.]

Esau’s Family Tree

All of Esau’s 10 grandsons listed above were chiefs along with his 3 sons from Oholibamah. [Eliphaz seems to have had an additional son named Korah who is also listed as a chief.]

Seir’s Family Tree

Seir was a Horite [inhabitants local to that region]. All his sons listed above were some of Edom’s chiefs. Seir also had a daughter named Timna [same name as the concubine of Esau’s son, Eliphaz]. Anah was the one who found the hot springs in the wilderness when he was watching the donkeys that belonged to his dad, Zibeon. [Seir had a granddaughter named Oholibamah, which is the same name as one of Esau’s wives.]

Edom’s Kings

Edom was reigned by kings before Israel started having kings. These are Edom’s kings in order:

Bela (Beor’s son): He was Edom’s king who had a city named Dinhabah.
Jobab (Zerah’s son) became king.
Hushham who was from the land of the Temanites [Teman was one of Esau’s grandsons.]
Hadad (Bedad’s son) defeated Midian [Abraham’s Arabian son by Keturah] in the field of Moab [the nation descended from Lot]. Hadad had a city named Avith.
Samlah from Masrekah
Shaul from Rehoboth on the Euphrates
Baal-hanan (Achbor’s son)
Hadar who had a city named Pau. His wife was Mehetabel (daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab)

Edom’s Chiefs

Edom had chiefs who all descended from Esau. These are its chiefs grouped by family and location.

Timna [means “restrained”]
Alvah [means “evil”]
Jetheth [means “a nail”]
Oholibamah [means “tent of the high place”]
Elah [means “oak”]
Pinon [means “darkness”]
Kenaz [means “hunter”]
Teman [means”south”]
Mibzar [means “fortress”]
Magdiel [means “prince of God”]
Iram [means “belonging to a city”]

Genesis 36