20<\/strong>. the inhabitants of the land<\/em> ] The aborigines: see Gen 14:6<\/span>; Deu 2:12<\/span>.<\/p>\n 20 30<\/strong>. The Horites the aboriginal inhabitants of the country “the sons of Seir, the Horite,” were possibly so called from the word or<\/em>, “a hole”; cf. 1Sa 13:6<\/span>; 1Sa 14:11<\/span>. This derivation has long been maintained, and is possibly correct, the Horites being regarded as troglodytes, or cave-dwellers. In Oba 1:3<\/span> Edom is apostrophized, “O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock.” On the other hand another derivation has recently commended itself, Hor being identified with the Egyptian Haru<\/em> which is found in Egyptian inscriptions for “Syria.” But there is good support from the rocks of Petra and the excavations at Gezer for the “cave-dweller” explanation of the word.<\/p>\n Verse 20<\/span>. These are the sons of Seir the Horite<\/B><\/I>] These Horites were the original inhabitants of the country of Seir<\/I>, called the land of the Horites, and afterwards the land of the Idumeans, when the descendants of Esau had driven them out. These people are first mentioned Ge 14:6<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n 1840<\/I><\/P> The sons of Seir<\/B> are here mentioned, partly because of their alliance with Esaus family, Gen 35:2<\/span>,20<\/span>,22<\/span>,24<\/span>,25<\/span>, and partly because the government was translated from his to Esaus family. <\/P> Who inhabited the land, <\/B>and ruled there, till Esau and his posterity drove them out, Deu 2:12<\/span>,22<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n 20-30. Sons of Seir, theHorite<\/B>native dukes, who were incorporated with those of theEdomite race.<\/P><\/p>\n These [are] the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land<\/strong>,…. “Before”, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, that is, before it was inhabited by Esau and his posterity, and called Edom, and had from him the name of Seir; but the Horites dwelt here before him, even in Abraham’s time, Ge 14:6<\/span>; and who were so called from their dwelling under ground in holes and caves, with which the further part of the land of Edom abounded, and are the same the Greeks call Trogloditae: Jarchi says, from their Rabbins, these were very expert in the nature of the land, and knew what was fit for olives and what for vines. Now the genealogy of this man is here given, partly to show who were the ancient inhabitants of this land before they were drove out, and succeeded by Esau and his sons, De 1:12<\/span>; and partly because of the intermarriages of Esau and his posterity with them, whereby they more easily came into the possession of the country; for Esau married the daughter of Anah, the son of Zibeon, a son of Seir, Ge 36:11<\/span>; and Eliphaz took Timna, a sister of Lotan the son of Seir, to be his concubine, Ge 36:12<\/span>; the names of the sons of Seir follow,<\/p>\n Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah<\/strong>: the first of these is said b to be the same with Latinus, a king that reigned in Italy, which seems to be taken from the fancied resemblance of names. Zibeon and Anah are here spoken of as brethren, the sons of Seir; whereas in Ge 36:24<\/span>; they are made mention of as father and son, [See comments on Ge 36:2]<\/span>; Zibeon, according to the Jewish writers c, committed incest with his mother, whence came Anah, and is called his brother, because of the same mother, and his son, as being begotten by him. They seem to seek for such kind of copulations to reproach the Edomites.<\/p>\n b Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 79. 1. c T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 54. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 115. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 82. fol. 72. 1.<\/p>\n (parallel, 1Ch 1:38-42<\/span>). Descendants of Seir the Horite; – the inhabitants of the land, or pre-Edomitish population of the country. – “ The Horite:<\/em> ” , the dweller in caves, which abound in the mountains of Edom (vid., Rob. Pal.<\/em> ii. p. 424). The Horites, who had previously been an independent people (Gen 14:6<\/span>), were partly exterminated and partly subjugated by the descendants of Esau (Deu 2:12<\/span>, Deu 2:22<\/span>). Seven sons of Seir are given as tribe-princes of the Horites, who are afterwards mentioned as Alluphim<\/em> (Gen 36:29<\/span>, Gen 36:30<\/span>), also their sons, as well as two daughters, Timna<\/em> (Gen 36:22<\/span>) and Aholibamah<\/em> (Gen 36:25<\/span>), who obtained notoriety from the face that two of the headquarters of Edomitish tribe-princes bore their names (Gen 36:40<\/span> and Gen 36:41<\/span>). Timna<\/em> was probably the same as the concubine of Eliphaz (Gen 36:12<\/span>); but Aholibamah<\/em> was not the wife of Esau (cf. Gen 36:2<\/span>). – There are a few instances in which the names in this list differ from those in the Chronicles. But they are differences which either consist of variation in form, or have arisen from mistakes in copying.<\/p>\n (Note: Knobel<\/em> also undertakes to explain these names geographically, and to point them out in tribes and places of Arabia, assuming, quite arbitrarily and in opposition to the text, that the names refer to tribes, not to persons, although an incident is related of Zibeon’s son, which proves at once that the list relates to persons and not to tribes; and expecting his readers to believe that not only are the descendants of these troglodytes, who were exterminated before the time of Moses, still to be found, but even their names may be traced in certain Bedouin tribes, though more than 3000 years have passed away! The utter groundlessness of such explanations, which rest upon nothing more than similarity of names, may be seen in the association of Shobal<\/em> with Syria Sobal<\/em> (Judith 3:1), the name used by the Crusaders for Arabia tertia<\/em>, i.e., the southernmost district below the Dead Sea, which was conquered by them. For notwithstanding the resemblance of the name Shobal<\/em> to Sobal<\/em>, no one could seriously think of connecting Syria Sobal<\/em> with the Horite prince Shobal<\/em>, unless he was altogether ignorant of the apocryphal origin of the former name, which first of all arose from the Greek or Latin version of the Old Testament, and in fact from a misunderstanding of Psa 60:2<\/span>, where, instead , Aram<\/em> Zobah<\/em>, we find in the lxx , and in the Vulg<\/em>. Syria et Sobal <\/em>.)<\/p>\n Of Anah<\/em>, the son of Zibeon, it is related (Gen 36:24<\/span>), that as he fed the asses of his father in the desert, he “found ” – not “he invented mules,” as the Talmud, Luther, etc., render it, for mules are , and does not mean to invent; but he discovered aquae calidae <\/em> ( Vulg<\/em>.), either the hot sulphur spring of Calirrhoe<\/em> in the Wady Zerka Maein<\/em> (vid., Gen 10:19<\/span>), or those in the Wady el Ahsa<\/em> to the S.E. of the Dead Sea, or those in the Wady Hamad<\/em> between Kerek and the Dead Sea.<\/p>\n (Note: It is possible that there may be something significant in the fact that it was “as he was feeding his father’s asses,” and that the asses may have contributed to the discovery; just as the whirlpool of Karlsbad is said to have been discovered through a hound of Charles IV, which pursued a stag into a hot spring, and attracted the huntsmen to the spot by its howling.)<\/p>\n 20 These are<\/I> the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, 21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are<\/I> the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was<\/I> Timna. 23 And the children of Shobal were<\/I> these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 And these are<\/I> the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that<\/I> Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. 25 And the children of Anah were<\/I> these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. 26 And these are<\/I> the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. 27 The children of Ezer are<\/I> these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan. 28 The children of Dishan are<\/I> these; Uz, and Aran. 29 These are<\/I> the dukes that came<\/I> of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, 30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are<\/I> the dukes that came<\/I> of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.<\/P> In the midst of this genealogy of the Edomites here is inserted the genealogy of the Horites, those Canaanites, or Hittites (compare ch.<\/I><\/span> xxvi. 34<\/span>), that were the natives of Mount Seir. Mention is made of them, ch.<\/I><\/span> xiv. 6<\/span>, and of their interest in Mount Seir, before the Edomites took possession of it, Deu 2:12<\/span>; Deu 2:22<\/span>. This comes in here, not only to give light to the story, but to be a standing reflection upon the Edomites for intermarrying with them, by which, it is probable, they learned their way, and corrupted themselves. Esau having sold his birthright, and lost his blessing, and entered into alliance with the Hittites, his posterity and the sons of Seir are here reckoned together. Note, Those that treacherously desert God’s church are justly numbered with those that were never in it; apostate Edomites stand on the same ground with accursed Horites. Particular notice is taken of one Anah who fed the asses of Zibeon his father (v.<\/I><\/span> 24<\/span>), and yet is called duke Anah,<\/I> v.<\/span> 29<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Note, Those that expect to rise high should begin low. An honourable descent should not keep men from an honest employment, nor a mean employment hinder any man’s preferment. This Anah was not only industrious in his business, but ingenious too, and successful; for he found mules,<\/I> or (as some read it) waters, hot-baths,<\/I> in the wilderness. Those that are diligent in their business sometimes find more advantages than they expected.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verses 20-30:<\/strong><\/p>\n The original inhabitants of Edom <\/strong>(Idumea) were Horites, see Ge 14:6. Their ancestor Seir gave his name to the rugged region where he lived. <\/strong>Esau’s descendants eventually dispossessed the native population, De 2:12; although there was apparently extensive inter-marriage between the Edomites and the Horites. Esau himself had a Horite wife, Aholibamah, and his son Eliphaz had a Horite concubine, Timna. <\/strong>The Horites were apparently cave-dwellers. The region abounds in limestone and sandstone caves. These were no crude shelters, but consisted of palaces and temples and tombs of a grandeur amazing today.<\/p>\n Verse 24 indicates that the Horites were herdsmen, skilled in the field of animal husbandry.<\/p>\n (20) The sons of Seir the Horite.<\/strong>This genealogy is given partly because it contains that of Aholibamah, but chiefly because the Horites were in time fused with the descendants of Esau, and together formed the Edomites.<\/p>\n SONS OF SEIR THE HORITE<\/strong>, Gen 36:20-30<\/span>.<\/p>\n The Horites were the original occupants of Mount Seir, (Gen 14:6<\/span>,) but it appears from Deu 2:12<\/span>; Deu 2:22<\/span>, that they were subdued by the sons of Esau, and in all probability the remnants of their tribes intermarried with the Edomites, and became so identified with them as to be thus included in this genealogy . The seven sons of Seir the Horite <\/strong> are all mentioned again in Gen 36:29-30<\/span> as the dukes of the Horites<\/strong>, corresponding with the sons and dukes of Esau already given . On the identification of some of these names there are differences of opinion . Timna<\/strong>, in Gen 36:22<\/span>, is generally allowed to be the same as the concubine of Eliphaz, Gen 36:12<\/span>. It is natural to suppose Aholibamah the daughter of Anah <\/strong> (Gen 36:25<\/span>) to be the same as the wife of Esau, (Gen 36:2<\/span>,) but Keil very positively denies their identity. Anah <\/strong> (Gen 36:24<\/span>) is said to be a son of Zibeon the Horite; but the Anah <\/strong> of Gen 36:2<\/span> is the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite. Anah <\/strong> is distinguished for having found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father<\/strong>. There is no good authority for rendering the word , mules<\/strong>; it means rather, warm springs<\/em> .<\/em> <\/em> While he pastured the asses of Zibeon he discovered certain hot springs, probably those of Callirhoe, on the east of the Dead Sea, in the wady Zerka-Main, which are famous for their medicinal qualities and various temperature, ranging from tepid to a degree of heat that cannot be endured in bathing . Hengstenberg suggests that the discovery of these springs gave Anah the surname Beeri, <\/em> (xxvi, 34,) “the fountain man,” or “ well-finder,” and thus constructs an argument to prove the identity of Anah with the father of Esau’s wife. His argument, if not conclusive, should suffice to show how many possible circumstances, now unknown to us, might have occasioned the differences of names which puzzle us in old genealogical tables.<\/p>\n The Descendants and Chieftains of Seir the Horite ( Gen 36:20-30<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Seir the Horite was leader of the tribe of Horites who dwelt in Seir, which was presumably named after him. His sons were their chieftains and the daughter of one of them had a daughter who became the wife of Esau. Thus Esau was connected with this powerful family. This explains his ready access to Seir and why he spent some considerable time there, while still helping his father Isaac in tribal affairs. (His connection with Ishmael was also important). <\/p>\n Gen 36:20-21<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah, and Dishon and Ezar and Dishan. These are the chieftains that came of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom’ <\/p>\n We are now given the genealogy and status of the family of Seir the Horite. One of them is Zibeon, father of Anah whose daughter married Esau (Gen 36:2<\/span>). It is a very interesting fact that this genealogy is recorded in 1Ch 1:38-42<\/span> even though they were not directly related to the patriarchs. They were somehow looked on as ‘family’. <\/p>\n Gen 36:22<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and Lotan’s sister was Timna.’ <\/p>\n The children of the eldest son are mentioned first. The mention of his sister Timna may suggest that among the Horites women had a more prominent place than usual. <\/p>\n Gen 36:23<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘And these are the children of Shobal: Alvan and Manahath and Ebal, Shepho and Onam.’ <\/p>\n These are the children of the second son. <\/p>\n Gen 36:24<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘And these are the children of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.’ <\/p>\n The historical reference to the finding of an important water source is again typical of ancient genealogies. <\/p>\n But there is here a slight puzzle. Anah has the same name as Anah the daughter of Zibeon (Gen 36:1<\/span>). We note that the word ‘children’ is now being used and not ‘sons’ and had it not been for the masculine verbs in this verse we might have thought that this was Anah the daughter. Indeed we must ask whether this is not the case in spite of the verbal use. Perhaps in Seir among the Horites certain women were treated as men and spoken of accordingly. <\/p>\n In the Hebrew of Gen 36:2<\/span> Anah is the daughter of Zibeon. However the Samaritan Pentateuch, the LXX and the Syriac all read ‘son’ (thus RSV). But that is the easier reading and the reason for the change is obvious. It is to remove a problem. This would equate him with Beeri the Hittite and ‘beer’ does mean ‘well’ so that Beeri may have been a name given to him on the discovery of these important springs. The idea is attractive but fails to take into account how the then very difficult rendering ‘daughter’ ever got into the text. Thus it would seem to us that a better solution lies in seeing the Horites as giving women a special prominence not accorded elsewhere. <\/p>\n Alternately it may be a coincidence of names. If Anah the daughter was given the same name as Anah the son, and Anah the uncle (Gen 36:20<\/span>) it is not inconceivable that Anah’s daughter might take the same name on marriage as Anah the uncle originally gave to his daughter. Its strangeness or its religious meaning may have appealed to her. <\/p>\n Gen 36:25<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘And these are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah.’ <\/p>\n The parallel verses show that these are the descendants of Seir’s fourth son Anah not of the Anah in the previous verse. Anah was clearly a popular name among the Horites. <\/p>\n Gen 36:26<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘And these are the children of Dishon: Hemdan and Eshban and Ithran and Cheran.’ <\/p>\n These are the children of Dishon, Seir’s fifth son, not of Anah’s son Dishon. Repetition of names was clearly popular with the Horites, as elsewhere. <\/p>\n Gen 36:27<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘These are the children of Ezer: Bilhan and Zaavan and Akan. <\/p>\n These are the children of Seir’s sixth son. <\/p>\n Gen 36:28<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran.’ <\/p>\n These are the children of Seir’s seventh son. <\/p>\n Gen 36:29-30<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘These are the chieftains that came of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, Chief Dishan. These are the chieftains who came of the Horites according to their chieftains in the land of Seir.’ <\/p>\n This confirms Gen 36:21<\/span>. Repetition was common in narratives in the Ancient Near East. Possibly the fact that chieftainship stops with the sons suggests that authority then passed over to Esau and his descendants, but it may simply arise from the fact that the tablet was written before the chieftainship could be passed on. <\/p>\n Thus in these tablets we are given a full picture of the leadership of the confederate tribes in Edom over two generations. Esau was clearly proud of his sons’ achievements and of his extended family. <\/p>\n The Sons of the Seir the Horite <\/strong> We find in Gen 36:20-30<\/span> the genealogy of Seir the Horite. This genealogy is unique in that it is a genealogy of people recorded in the book of Genesis who are not related to Abraham. All other genealogies in Genesis are either his ancestors or descendants. One must ask the question why such a genealogy exists in the Scriptures. One answer may lie in the fact that there was quite a bit of history between the sons of Esau and of Seir in their battles to occupy the land of Edom. <\/p>\n Gen 36:20<\/strong><\/span> These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,<\/p>\n Gen 36:20<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> <\/strong> Word Study on “Seir” <\/em><\/strong> Strong <\/em> says the Hebrew name “Seir” ( ) (H8165<\/span>) means, “rough.” He was the patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites ( ISBE<\/em>). [245] <\/p>\n [245] W. Ewing, “Seir,” in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,<\/em> ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., c1915, 1939), in The Sword Project<\/em>, v. 1.5.11 [CD-ROM] (Temple, AZ: CrossWire Bible Society, 1990-2008).<\/p>\n Gen 36:20<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Word Study on “the Horite” – <\/em><\/strong> Strong<\/em> says the Hebrew name “Horite” ( ) (H2752<\/span>) means, “cave-dweller, or troglodyte; a Chorite or aboriginal Iduman.” He says this name is derived from ( ) (2356), meaning, “cave.” BDB <\/em> says it means, “cave dweller.” The ISBE<\/em> says that the name literally means, “white,” and refers to a white race of people that inhabited this region. [246] The Horites were the ancient inhabitants of the land of Edom before the sons of Esau took dominion (Deu 2:12<\/span>). It is used 6 times in the Old Testament being translated “Horite 4, Horims 2.”<\/p>\n [246] A. H. Sayce, “Horite,” in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,<\/em> ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., c1915, 1939), in The Sword Project<\/em>, v. 1.5.11 [CD-ROM] (Temple, AZ: CrossWire Bible Society, 1990-2008).<\/p>\n Deu 2:12<\/span>, “The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them.”<\/p>\n Gen 36:20<\/strong><\/span> “These are the sons of Seir the Horite”<\/strong> Comments – <\/em><\/strong> Note Gen 14:6<\/span>, “And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.”<\/p>\n Gen 36:24<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Word Study on “the mules” <\/em><\/strong> Gesenius<\/em> says the Hebrew word “mules” “imim” ( ) (H3222<\/span>) probably means, “hot springs.” Strong <\/em> says it means either “warm spring” or “mule.” This Hebrew word is only used one time in the entire Old Testament. Most modern translations render it as “hot springs,” which can be found in this region of the desert ( AmpBible, ASV, ESV, <\/em> Keil-Delitzsch , NASB, NCV, NET, NLT, NIV, RSV<\/em>). The VgClem <\/em> reads “aquas calidas.” Gesenius<\/em> says some Jewish writers, the Talmud and Martin Luther conjectured from the context that the word means “mules,” and thus the KJV<\/em> follows this tradition. A few translations simply transliterate the Hebrew word into “ ” ( LXX<\/em>) and “Imim” ( YLT<\/em>). Gesenius<\/em> says it is translated “Emims or giants” in the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch.<\/p>\n Gesenius<\/em> tells us that in the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch the words are “he fell upon Emims,” or “giants,” and so this is understood by Onkelos and Pesudo-Jonathan. If we compare the similarities of “Imim” ( ) (H3222<\/span>) to the Hebrew word “Emim” ( ) (H368<\/span>), which means “giant,” it becomes easier to understand this definition. We find “Emim” used in Deu 2:10-11<\/span> in reference to giants.<\/p>\n Deu 2:10-11<\/span>, “The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.”<\/p>\n In light of the similarity of the Hebrew word “Emim” ( ), I believe the word “giant” or the broader meaning, “monster,” to be the more accurate meaning of the word “Imim.”<\/p>\n The Horites<\/p>\n v. 20. These are the sons of Seir, the Horite, who inhabited the land;<\/strong> after him the country was named, and with his descendants those of Edom mingled: Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah<\/strong> (this name being both masculine and feminine), <\/p>\n v. 21. and Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan; these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir, in the land of Edom. <\/strong> The Horites, or descendants of Seir, the original inhabitants of the wilderness of Zin, were cave-dwellers arid shared the many caves in that country with their herds and flocks. <\/p>\n v. 22. And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam<\/strong> (or Homam, 1Ch 1:39<\/span>); Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n