Genesis 36:8
Genesis 36:8 in Multiple Translations
So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.
Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
And Esau dwelt in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
So Esau made his living-place in the hill-country of Seir (Esau is Edom).
Esau settled down in the hill country of Seir.
Therefore dwelt Esau in mount Seir: this Esau is Edom.
and Esau dwelleth in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom.
Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
And Esau dwelt in mount Seir: he is Edom.
They went to live in the Seir hilly area.
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 36:8
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 36:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יֵּ֤שֶׁב
עֵשָׂו֙
בְּ/הַ֣ר
שֵׂעִ֔יר
עֵשָׂ֖ו
ה֥וּא
אֱדֽוֹם
וַ/יֵּ֤שֶׁב
yâshab
H3427
to dwell
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
עֵשָׂו֙
ʻÊsâv
H6215
Esau
N-proper
בְּ/הַ֣ר
har
H2022
mountain
Prep | N-ms
שֵׂעִ֔יר
Sêʻîyr
H8165
Seir
N-proper
עֵשָׂ֖ו
ʻÊsâv
H6215
Esau
N-proper
ה֥וּא
hûwʼ
H1931
he/she/it
Pron
אֱדֽוֹם
ʼĔdôm
H123
Edom
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 36:8
וַ/יֵּ֤שֶׁב
yâshab
H3427
"to dwell"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Definition: 1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sit, sit down 1a2) to be set 1a3) to remain, stay 1a4) to dwell, have one's abode 1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited 1c) (Piel) to set, place 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to sit 1d2) to cause to abide, set 1d3) to cause to dwell 1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited 1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to) 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be inhabited 1e2) to make to dwell Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
Usage: Occurs in 977 OT verses. KJV: (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. See also: Genesis 4:16; Leviticus 25:18; Joshua 13:6.
עֵשָׂו֙
ʻÊsâv
H6215
"Esau"
N-proper
Esau was the son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob, and his name means 'hairy'. He sold his birthright to Jacob and lost the divine blessing, as told in Genesis 25:29-34, and became the ancestor of the Arab peoples.
Definition: § Esau = "hairy" eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples
Usage: Occurs in 82 OT verses. KJV: Esau. See also: Genesis 25:25; Genesis 33:9; Jeremiah 49:8.
בְּ/הַ֣ר
har
H2022
"mountain"
Prep | N-ms
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Definition: : mount/hill hill, mountain, hill country, mount
Usage: Occurs in 486 OT verses. KJV: hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion. See also: Genesis 7:19; Deuteronomy 3:12; Judges 18:13.
שֵׂעִ֔יר
Sêʻîyr
H8165
"Seir"
N-proper
Seir refers to a mountain in Idumaea and its original inhabitants, with the name meaning hairy or shaggy, as seen in Genesis 32:3 and Deuteronomy 2:1.
Definition: § Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy" patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: Seir. See also: Genesis 14:6; Deuteronomy 33:2; Isaiah 21:11.
עֵשָׂ֖ו
ʻÊsâv
H6215
"Esau"
N-proper
Esau was the son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob, and his name means 'hairy'. He sold his birthright to Jacob and lost the divine blessing, as told in Genesis 25:29-34, and became the ancestor of the Arab peoples.
Definition: § Esau = "hairy" eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples
Usage: Occurs in 82 OT verses. KJV: Esau. See also: Genesis 25:25; Genesis 33:9; Jeremiah 49:8.
ה֥וּא
hûwʼ
H1931
"he/she/it"
Pron
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Definition: pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)
Usage: Occurs in 1693 OT verses. KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who. See also: Genesis 2:11; Genesis 32:19; Exodus 21:3.
אֱדֽוֹם
ʼĔdôm
H123
"Edom"
N-proper
Edom was the twin brother of Jacob and the region where he lived. He was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and his story is told in Genesis 25. Edom is also another name for Esau.
Definition: A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.25; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Israel (H3478); married to Oholibamah (H0173), Judith (H3067), Adah (H5711H) and Mahalath (H4258); father of: Eliphaz (H0464), Reuel (H7467), Jeush (H3266), Jalam (H3281) and Korah (H7141); also called Edom at Gen.25.30; 36.1,8,19,21; 1x,54; Another name of e.sav (עֵשָׂו "Esau" H6215G) § Edom = "red" 1) Edom 2) Edomite, Idumean-descendants of Esau 3) land of Edom, Idumea-land south and south east of Palestine
Usage: Occurs in 93 OT verses. KJV: Edom, Edomites, Idumea. See also: Genesis 25:30; 1 Chronicles 1:54; Psalms 60:2.
Study Notes — Genesis 36:8
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 36:8 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 36:8
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 36:8
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 36:8
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 36:8
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 36:8
- Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 36:8
- Sermons on Genesis 36:8
Context — The Descendants of Esau
6Later, Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the people of his household, along with his livestock, all his other animals, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan, and he moved to a land far away from his brother Jacob.
7For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together; the land where they stayed could not support them because of their livestock.
8So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.
9This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the area of Mount Seir. 10These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esau’s wife Basemath.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 32:3 | Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. |
| 2 | Malachi 1:3 | but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals. ” |
| 3 | Ezekiel 35:2–7 | “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it, and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Mount Seir. I will stretch out My hand against you and make you a desolate waste. I will turn your cities into ruins, and you will become a desolation. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Because you harbored an ancient hatred and delivered the Israelites over to the sword in the time of their disaster at the final stage of their punishment, therefore as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, it will pursue you. I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and will cut off from it those who come and go. |
| 4 | Genesis 14:6 | and the Horites in the area of Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 2:5 | Do 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. |
| 6 | 1 Chronicles 4:42 | And five hundred of these Simeonites led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to Mount Seir |
| 7 | Genesis 36:19–20 | All these are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and they were their chiefs. These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, |
| 8 | Genesis 36:1 | This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom). |
| 9 | 2 Chronicles 20:23 | The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had made an end to the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. |
| 10 | 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 Summary
Genesis 36:8 tells us that Esau, also known as Edom, settled in the area of Mount Seir. This move was likely due to the fact that the land where he and his brother Jacob were staying could not support their livestock, as stated in Genesis 36:7. We can learn from Esau's example by trusting in God's guidance and provision, even when we face difficult decisions or uncertain circumstances (as seen in Psalm 37:3-7 and Proverbs 3:5-6). By doing so, we can have confidence that God will provide for us and give us the desires of our heart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Esau settle in the area of Mount Seir?
Esau settled in the area of Mount Seir because the land where he and his brother Jacob were staying could not support their livestock, as stated in Genesis 36:7. This move was likely a result of God's providence, guiding Esau to a new location where he could thrive and establish his family.
What is the significance of Esau being referred to as Edom?
Esau is referred to as Edom in Genesis 36:8, which is a name that will become synonymous with his descendants and the land they inhabit. This name is also mentioned in other parts of the Bible, such as in Genesis 25:30, where Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of red stew, earning him the nickname Edom, meaning 'red'.
How does this verse relate to the broader narrative of Genesis?
This verse is part of the larger story of the patriarchs in the book of Genesis, specifically the account of Esau and Jacob. It highlights the separation of the two brothers and the beginning of Esau's establishment in a new land, which will have implications for the rest of the biblical narrative, including the relationship between the Israelites and the Edomites, as seen in verses like Genesis 27:40 and Genesis 33:16.
What can we learn from Esau's decision to settle in a new land?
Esau's decision to settle in a new land can teach us about the importance of trusting in God's guidance and provision, even in times of uncertainty or hardship. As seen in Psalm 37:3-7, we are encouraged to trust in the Lord, do good, and dwell in the land, and He will give us the desires of our heart.
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in my life when I have had to make difficult decisions, and how can I trust in God's guidance during those times?
- How can I apply the principle of trusting in God's provision, as seen in Esau's move to a new land, to my own life and circumstances?
- What are some ways that I can be a good steward of the resources and blessings that God has given me, just as Esau had to manage his livestock and property?
- How can I use my experiences and decisions to shape my family's legacy and impact future generations, just as Esau's decision affected his descendants?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 36:8
Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir,.... Before he is said to be in the land of Seir, Genesis 32:3; now to dwell in a mount of that name; from which driving the Horites, he seized upon and dwelt in it; it
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 36:8
Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir. This was divinely assigned as his possession (Joshua 24:4; Deuteronomy 2:5).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 36:8
This seems to be mentioned by the Holy Ghost by way of contempt or reproach; this is he who sold his birthright for a mess of red pottage, and therefore was called Edom or red.
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 36:8
(8) Mount Seir.—The land of Idumea extends from the southern extremity of the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Elath, and consists of a chain of mountains running parallel to the Akaba, or continuation of the deep depression through which the Jordan flows till it loses itself in the Dead Sea. The hills are of limestone, with masses here and there of basalt; and though large portions are so covered with stones as to be barren, the rest is moderately fertile, not indeed in corn, but in figs, pomegranates, and other fruits. The climate is pleasant, the heat in summer being moderated by cool winds, but the winters are cold. The border of it was distant only some fifty or sixty miles from Hebron, so that Esau’s transference of himself thither was an easy matter. (Comp. Note on Genesis 27:39.)
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 36:8
8. mount Seir] The mountain country of Seir, a region, not a mountain, lying to the east of the Arabah.
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 36:8
ESAU’S WIVES AND , AND THEIR REMOVAL TO MOUNT SEIR, Genesis 36:1-8. A comparison of the names of Esau’s wives, as given here and in Genesis 26:34; Genesis 28:9, will show noticeable differences. Here we have:1.
Sermons on Genesis 36:8
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Genesis #21 Ch. 35-37 Joseph, the Dreamer by Chuck Missler | In this sermon, Chuck Missler discusses Genesis chapters 35 through 37. He begins by praying for understanding and guidance from the Holy Spirit. He then highlights the importance |
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(Genesis) Genesis 46:4-7 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the three spiritual periods in the life of Jacob, which can be applicable to many believers today. The first period is when Jacob lived somewh |
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(Genesis) Genesis 36:1-12 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the generations of Esau, who is also known as Edom. Esau took wives from the daughters of Canaan, and he had a large household and possession |
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(Genesis) 52 - Lessons From the Generations of Esau by S. Lewis Johnson | In this sermon, the speaker acknowledges that there are certain chapters in the Bible that are difficult to expound systematically, such as Genesis chapter 36 and the genealogies i |
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Esau and Jacob by J. Vernon McGee | J. Vernon McGee delves into the prophecy of Obadiah, shedding light on the mysterious figure and the significance of Edom in the Bible. Through the story of Esau and Jacob, he illu |
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Through the Bible - Genesis 32-36 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith explores Genesis chapters 32 to 36, focusing on Jacob's journey back to his brother Esau and the transformative encounter he has with God. Jacob, fearful of Esau's pote |