The Family of Esau
Text: Genesis 36:1-37:1
Core Idea: Outward success is not the same thing as covenant belonging – and waiting doesn’t mean God has forgotten us. So, let’s not place our hope in earthly prosperity or human strength, but in the faithful God whose promises are fulfilled perfectly through Jesus Christ.
INTRODUCTION
We’re continuing our journey through the Book of Genesis – tracing how God’s promises moved forward. A few weeks ago, I shared that one of the blessings of preaching through a book of the Bible is that the Bible sets the agenda – which means we don’t get to skip the difficult parts or avoid the uncomfortable passages. Instead, we come face to face with everything that God has chosen to reveal. Genesis 34 about Dinah was one of those passages because it was disturbing, painful, and messy. But in a very different way, I feel a similar challenge when approaching today’s text. Again, this probably isn’t a passage I would’ve naturally chosen to preach on my own because it just contains a long list of unfamiliar names. And yet, because this, too, is part of God’s Word, we trust that it’s here for a reason. The author didn’t include this passage simply to preserve a family record – he included it because there was something God wanted His people to see. Now, before we get into the passage itself, let me remind you where we are in the story. Last week, we saw Jacob’s story come to an end. And one thing the author wanted us to remember was that Jacob continued moving forward even through sorrow, disappointment, and pain. Even though his life was marked by grief and the wounds caused by the sins of others, he didn’t stop or settle – he continued to fight the good fight of faith. Then, this would’ve been a great way to close Jacob’s story before transitioning into the story of his twelve sons. But instead, the author pauses to give us an entire chapter on Esau and his descendants. Why? Why slow down the story here? What does God want us to see through a chapter like this? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out today. So, with that in mind, please turn with me to Genesis 36:1-37:1. Now, I was originally going to read the entire chapter, but I thought I’d spare you from listening to me stumble through all these names. So instead, I’m only going to read the first eight verses. But do keep your Bibles open because we’ll be looking at the rest of the chapter throughout the message. Let me read this for us.
36:1 This is the account of the family line of Esau (that is, Edom). 2 Esau took his wives from the women of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite – 3 also Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. 4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in Canaan. 6 Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan, and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob. 7 Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock. 8 So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir. 9 This is the account of the family line of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. 11 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz. 12 Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna, who bore him Amalek. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah. 13 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath. 14 The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon, whom she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jalam and Korah. 15 These were the chiefs among Esau’s descendants: The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam and Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in Edom; they were grandsons of Adah. 17 The sons of Esau’s son Reuel: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in Edom; they were grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath. 18 The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these were their chiefs. 20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the region: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These sons of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs. 22 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister. 23 The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam. 24 The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys of his father Zibeon. 25 The children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah daughter of Anah. 26 The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran. 27 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. 28 The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These were the Horite chiefs: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These were the Horite chiefs, according to their divisions, in the land of Seir. 31 These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned: 32 Bela son of Beor became king of Edom. His city was named Dinhabah. 33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah succeeded him as king. 34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king. 35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king. 37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river succeeded him as king. 38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Akbor succeeded him as king. 39 When Baal-Hanan son of Akbor died, Hadad succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab. 40 These were the chiefs descended from Esau, by name, according to their clans and regions: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they occupied. This is the family line of Esau, the father of the Edomites. 37:1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me share three things from this passage:
SEPARATION
WAITING
GRACE
1) SEPARATION
In verses 1-5, we read about Esau’s wives and children – that he had three wives and five sons. But what’s more important in this first section is what we read in verses 6-8: Esau took his family, his livestock, and all that he possessed and moved away from his brother Jacob. Why? Verse 7 tells us: “Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock.” So, Esau settled in the hill country of Seir – located southeast of Canaan, where Jacob was. Now, this development should feel familiar because we’ve seen this pattern before in the lives of the patriarchs – in that in each generation, there was a separation between two “brothers.” Let me explain. First, this happened between Abraham and Lot in Chapter 13. Their possessions had become so great that the land could not support them both. So, Lot separated from Abraham and moved eastward toward Sodom. Now, technically, Abraham and Lot were uncle and nephew, not brothers. But in Genesis 13:8, Abraham referred to Lot as a “close relative” – a Hebrew word that could also mean “brother.” The point is that they were deeply connected – and yet their paths eventually separated. Second, this happened between Isaac and Ishmael in Chapter 21. Ishmael was the son born through Hagar, the Egyptian slave. But when Isaac was born, Ishmael was sent away because God’s covenant purposes would continue through Isaac. And tradition says that they eventually settled near Egypt, where Hagar was from – east of where Isaac was. But being outside the covenant line didn’t mean Ishmael was outside of God’s care. God still blessed him and fulfilled His promise to make him into a great nation. Lastly, we see the same thing happen here between Esau and Jacob. They separated – and Esau settled in Seir, east of the land of promise. Now, if you’ve been with us throughout this Genesis series, you may remember that moving eastward often symbolized moving away from the presence of God and away from covenant blessing. For example, after Adam and Eve sinned, they were driven east of Eden. After Cain murdered Abel, he moved eastward. The people who built the Tower of Babel journeyed eastward in their rebellion against God. All that to say, what we see in our text is that God was setting Jacob apart from Esau to clearly show that the covenant line would continue through Jacob, not Esau.But here’s an important truth I want you to see. Even though Esau was outside the covenant line, he was still greatly prosperous. He had wives, children, livestock, possessions, land – and eventually an entire nation would come from him. In many ways, Esau’s life looked stable, successful, and established. And yet the Bible shows us that despite all his earthly prosperity, Esau remained outside the covenant promise.
Then, here’s what we can learn from this: That outward blessing is not the same thing as covenant belonging. Esau’s prosperity was real – God truly did bless him in an earthly sense. But earthly success was never meant to be the ultimate sign of a saving relationship with God – which means that it’s possible for someone to be outwardly blessed and still be spiritually distant. This is a very sobering and relevant truth for us because we live in a culture that often measures blessing by prosperity and success. We live in a city where comfort, stability, and influence can easily become the standard for whether life is going well. And because of that, it’s easy for people to assume, “My life is stable. My family is doing well. My career is moving forward. I’m financially secure. People respect me. So, I must be okay with God. Clearly, I’m blessed.” But this passage reminds us that earthly blessings and covenant belonging are not always the same thing. You can have the whole world and still be far from the Lord. This is exactly why Jesus said in Mark 8:36, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Think about what Jesus was saying. A person can gain everything this world says matters – wealth, influence, friendships, romance, children – and still lose the one thing that matters most. You can build a successful career and still not know God. You can have a beautiful home and still be spiritually empty. You can be admired by others and still be separated from Christ. Outwardly, your life may appear blessed, while inwardly your soul slowly drifts farther and farther away from the Lord. Then, what does any of it matter if, in the end, you forfeit your soul? What good are success, comfort, and applause if you remain far from the God who made you and loves you? Friends, I pray that God will give you the eyes to see how tragic this is. What are you truly building your life upon? What are you holding onto so tightly that your walk with God is beginning to suffer – a promotion, a relationship, a certain lifestyle, a dream for your future? One of the dangers of prosperity is that it can slowly convince us that we no longer need God. Comfort can slowly numb our hearts to eternal things. Success can create the illusion that we are secure on our own – causing our hearts to drift from the very One we need most. We can become so focused on building a good life that we neglect the state of our souls. So, let me ask you: If you achieved everything you wanted in this life but remained distant from Christ, would it really be worth it?Brothers and sisters, outward prosperity is not the clearest evidence of God’s saving favor. The clearest evidence is not that your life is comfortable or successful, but that your heart truly belongs to Christ. The greatest blessing is not ultimately a large bank account, healthy relationships, or successful plans – but being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ and belonging to Him as His covenant people, because at the end of the day, what matters most is not whether you have gained the world, but whether you truly know and are known by the One who made the world. Friends, do you truly know Him? If you do, praise God. But if not, my prayer is that God would open your eyes to see the beauty and glory of Christ – that your heart would be awakened to who He truly is and be captured by the One who is infinitely greater than anything this world could offer.
2) WAITING
In verses 9-19, the author zooms in on Esau’s sons and grandsons. But what I want you to notice is that this is the first time in the Bible that the word “chiefs” is used. Verse 15: “These were the chiefs among Esau’s descendants.” Chiefs were leaders who governed and oversaw the people under their care. Then, this is important to point out because it shows us that Esau’s family had grown significantly. This was no longer just a household – they were becoming socially and politically established. Leadership structures were being formed for order, protection, and stability. In other words, Esau’s descendants were becoming influential and rooted in the region. Now, the people listed in verses 20-30 are not descendants of Esau. They’re the Horites – the original inhabitants of Seir. If that’s the case, it can feel like this is an unnecessary detail to add – but what this shows us is that Esau wasn’t wandering into empty land. There were already people living there with their own customs, culture, and way of life. But instead of driving them out, Esau integrated into their world and became firmly established in the land. He became stronger by intermarrying with the Horites. Then we come to verse 31: “These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned.” Edom had kings. They had political structure, national stability, and visible progress – in that Edom was becoming a real nation. Meanwhile, Israel looked far from complete. Jacob’s family had no king, no kingdom, and not even possession of the land yet. They were still wandering, still fragile, still uncertain – which means that, from the outside, Esau’s story looked far more impressive than Jacob’s. Honestly, Jacob could’ve looked at his brother’s life and wondered, “I thought I was the chosen one. I thought the covenant promise was given to me. Then, why does it feel like my brother is advancing faster than I am? Why does his life seem more stable, more successful, and more established?” But isn’t this the pattern we’ve seen throughout Genesis? If you recall, God’s people are repeatedly called to wait. Abraham had to wait because Sarah was barren. Isaac had to wait because Rebekah was barren. Jacob had to wait because Rachel was barren. And now Jacob’s family had to wait while Edom rose quickly in power and influence.
And this is where the passage becomes deeply relevant to us, as it reminds us that God’s people must learn to trust Him in seasons of incompleteness. God is not in a hurry the way we are because waiting is often part of His formation process. It’s in the waiting that God teaches His people to trust Him, depend on Him, and walk by faith rather than sight – which is why we must not abandon God’s path simply because others appear ahead.Now, let’s be honest: this is one of the hardest parts of following God. Waiting becomes much harder when someone else seems to arrive sooner. It’s one thing to wait quietly – it’s another thing to wait while watching others succeed around you. You’re trying to honor God in your singleness while someone else seems to find relationships effortlessly. You’re trying to walk faithfully and patiently, but others take shortcuts and appear to move ahead faster in their careers. You’re seeking to raise your children in the Lord, but other families seem happier, more stable, and more successful. In fact, that’s exactly the struggle we see in Psalm 73. Asaph, one of Israel’s worship leaders, looked at the prosperity of the wicked and began to envy them. Listen to what he said: “I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence… They say, ‘How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?’ This is what the wicked are like – always free of care, they go on amassing wealth” (vv. 1-6, 11-12). And the conclusion he came to was this – verse 13: “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure.” In other words, “What was the point of remaining faithful? Why did I deny myself? Why did I try to walk with God when others seem to be enjoying life far more than I am?” And I wonder if some of you have been wrestling with those same thoughts recently: “Why does it seem like those who compromise advance faster? Why do those who ignore God seem happier? Why does obedience sometimes feel slower and harder?” If that’s where you are today, I want you to know that the Bible is honest about those struggles. God is not afraid of your questions. You don’t have to pretend that everything is okay. You can come honestly before Him. Isn’t this why Psalm 73 is in the Bible? But thankfully, Asaph’s story doesn’t end there. Listen to his words in verses 16-17: “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.” In the presence of God, Asaph realized that outward prosperity was not the whole story. He realized that even though they appeared to have everything, they didn’t possess what mattered most. So, he said this in verses 27-28, “Those who are far from You will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge.” He realized that the greatest treasure was never the gifts of God, but God Himself. And that’s the same truth we learn from our text today: That the kingdom of God often unfolds more slowly than the kingdoms of this world. But slow doesn’t mean forgotten. Delayed doesn’t mean abandoned. God’s promises are still moving forward even when His work seems quiet, incomplete, or unimpressive in the eyes of the world. Then, let me ask you: Are you struggling with envy today? Is your waiting, while watching others flourish, causing your heart to grow anxious, bitter, or discouraged? If so, bring that honestly before God today. Let Him remind you that He hasn’t forgotten you and that He remains faithful even in the waiting. And ultimately, your restless heart will find its true satisfaction not in earthly success, but in Him.
3) GRACE
The reason why I included Genesis 37:1 as part of our passage is because of the author’s intentions. Let me explain. Look at Genesis 36:1 – “This is the account of the family line of Esau.” And look at Genesis 37:2 – “This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” Each of these verses introduces a new section focused on a particular family line – which means that Genesis 37:1 actually serves as the conclusion to Esau’s story. Then, listen to what Genesis 37:1 says: “Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.” At first glance, this feels out of place. Why would the author suddenly mention Jacob in a section about Esau? It’s because he wanted us to notice the contrast. Edom looked organized, stable, prosperous, and powerful – they had chiefs, territory, and kings. Meanwhile, Jacob’s family still looked messy, fragile, and incomplete. Compared to Esau, Jacob’s life seemed ordinary and unimpressive. And yet the covenant promises still ran through Jacob. God didn’t switch His allegiance to Esau simply because Esau appeared stronger or more established. God remained faithful to Jacob. Why? Not because Jacob deserved it. Certainly not because Jacob’s family was morally superior or naturally stronger. But simply because God’s grace rested on them. Grace is not wages – something that’s earned or deserved because of what you have done. Grace is a gift – something that’s freely given to undeserving people. In other words, Jacob carried the covenant promises not because he was better than Esau – but because God, in His grace, chose him. Then, this is what the author was teaching us: That God often magnifies His power through unlikely people like Jacob because His purposes do not depend on human impressiveness. Now, this doesn’t mean that God automatically sides with weak people all the time. Weakness itself is not virtuous. Being unimpressive doesn’t automatically mean someone is right with God. Rather, what we see throughout Scripture is that God often chooses weak and unlikely instruments so that His power and glory would be unmistakably His. The point is not how wonderful weak people are – but how faithful and powerful God is. Again, isn’t this the pattern we’ve seen throughout Genesis? God worked through barren women, younger sons, and dysfunctional families. Again and again, God chose and sustained undeserving people so that no one would confuse His work with human strength.
Now, this reminded me of my story. When God first called me into ministry, my immediate response was “no” because I was terrified. In fact, I remember all the excuses I gave to God. I said, “God, I can’t speak in front of people. I’m going to stutter. I’m scared of death when it comes to public speaking. And my English isn’t perfect. I’ll say the wrong thing and distort the gospel. You don’t want someone like me. You need someone more gifted, more charismatic – someone who can make the gospel sound compelling. I’m really not right for this job.” And strangely enough, in that very moment, 1 Corinthians 1 came to mind. Let me read from verses 26-29: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” It was as if God were saying to me, “Woohyun, you’re right. You are weak. You are inadequate. You are a fool. But that is exactly why I’m choosing you – because when people come to know and love Jesus through your ministry, it’ll be clear that the power didn’t come from you, but from Me. The glory will be all Mine.” Brothers and sisters, if you feel weak, inadequate, ordinary, or insignificant, don’t assume that God can’t use you. In fact, that may be the very reason why God will use you because when He works through weak instruments like you and me, His power becomes unmistakably clear. Isn’t this why Paul said this in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10? “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Now, the theme of weakness continues because this is why God chose the cross as the means of salvation. Humanly speaking, the cross looks like weakness, defeat, shame, and death. No wonder Paul says that the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. It made no sense that salvation would come through crucifixion. And yet God chose the cross so that no human being could boast before Him, for from the most unlikely place came eternal life. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, His death was not meaningless. He was taking our place and bearing the penalty for our sins. And because He did, we receive forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and eternal life. Brothers and sisters, God’s grace doesn’t follow worldly strength – and that is good news for us because if salvation depended on human impressiveness, none of us would have hope. But our hope rests entirely in the grace and power of God. So, let this move us to worship today. Let this humble us. Let this cause us to give God the glory He alone deserves.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, outward success is not the same thing as covenant belonging – and waiting doesn’t mean God has forgotten us. So, let’s not place our hope in earthly prosperity or human strength, but in the faithful God whose promises are fulfilled perfectly through Jesus Christ.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) What details in Genesis 36 show that Esau was genuinely prosperous and successful outwardly? Why do you think people often assume that outward success means they are spiritually okay? In what ways can prosperity, comfort, or success slowly dull our dependence on God? Read Mark 8:36. How should this verse shape the way we evaluate earthly success and gains in our lives?
2) What evidence in Genesis 36 shows that Edom was becoming established politically and socially? Why is waiting often more difficult when other people seem to be advancing faster than we are? Are there areas in your life where you’ve been tempted to envy others who seem more successful, stable, or ahead of you?
3) What contrast does the author want us to notice between Edom and Jacob’s family? Why does God often choose weak or unlikely people to accomplish His purposes? Have you ever felt too weak, inadequate, ordinary, or unqualified for God to use? How does 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 help us understand the way God works through unlikely people?
