Genesis 36:34 — Word Study
WLCוַיָּ֖מָת יוֹבָ֑ב וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו חֻשָׁ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ הַתֵּימָנִֽי׃
BSAWhen JobabYôwbâb [a desert] diedmûwth▸ [passed away, came to an end] HushamChûwshâm [meaning haste, swift action] from the landʼerets [earth, territory] of the TemanitesTêymânîy [descendants of Teman, a grandson of Esau] reignedmâlak▸ [ruled as king, took dominion] in his placetachath [stead, position of authority]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֖מָת | and he died | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| יוֹבָ֑ב | Jobab | Noun proper masculine |
| וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ | and he reigned | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| תַּחְתָּ֔יו | in place of him | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| חֻשָׁ֖ם | Husham | Noun proper masculine |
| מֵאֶ֥רֶץ | from [the] land of | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| הַתֵּימָנִֽי׃ | the Temanite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. |
| KJV | And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead. |
| ASV | And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. |
| YLT | and Jobab dieth, and reign in his stead doth Husham from the land of the Temanite. |
| WEB | Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. |
| BBE | And at the death of Jobab, Husham, from the country of the Temanites, became king in his place. |
Where they part company is in minor stylistic choices — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause introduces Jobab's death, followed by a subordinate clause detailing Husham's reign, showing the narrative flow of succession.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיוֹבָב
verbמוּת
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 36:34
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Kings of Edomgenerated
Genesis 36:34 describes the transition of power in Edom, noting the death of Jobab and the subsequent reign of Husham. This verse is part of a genealogical account that lists the kings of Edom, showing the lineage and succession of leadership from one ruler to another, which is a significant aspect of the history of the Edomites, descendants of Esau.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 36:11–15 | The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. |
| 2 | Job 2:11 | Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 49:7 | Concerning Edom, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיָּ֖מָת, vai.Ya.motgenerated
The Hebrew word מוּת (mūth) means 'to die' and encompasses a range of meanings from natural death to execution. It is commonly used in the context of both human and animal death, indicating the end of life or existence.
In this verse, the verb is in the sequential imperfect tense, indicating an action that occurs in a narrative sequence. Jobab's death marks a pivotal moment in the lineage of Edomite kings, setting the stage for Husham's reign.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb governing the verse is וַיָּ֖מָת, and he died, which introduces the sequence of events. Following this verb, we have a noun phrase יוֹבָ֑ב, Jobab, as the subject, and another verb וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ, and he reigned, which indicates the action taken by Husham.
The structure emphasizes the transition of power following Jobab's death, with the order of the clauses reflecting the narrative flow of succession.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the verb וַיָּ֖מָת as ἀπέθανεν, which also means 'he died.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on the finality of Jobab's death.
The Greek rendering does not introduce any significant interpretative shifts, preserving the straightforward narrative of succession.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 36:34 tells us that Jobab died, and Husham from the land of the Temanites became king in his place. This verse is part of a list of Edomite kings, showing how leadership passed from one ruler to another.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Jobab means 'a desert' and is associated with several figures in the Bible.
Husham was an early king of Edom, mentioned in the genealogies of Edomite rulers.
The Temanites are descendants of Teman, a grandson of Esau, and represent a significant lineage in Edom.
This verse contributes to the genealogical record of Edom, illustrating the succession of kings and the history of Esau's descendants.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about leadership transitions from this verse?
- How does the concept of death in this verse relate to the broader themes in Genesis?
- In what ways do genealogies in the Bible help us understand historical contexts?
- What significance do names have in the biblical narrative, as seen with Jobab and Husham?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 36:34 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Jobab died,.... According to Mr. Bedford, A. M. 2177: and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead; or of the land of the south, as the Targum of Jonathan, of the southern part of the
Read John Gill on Genesis 36 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead. Husham of the land of Temani - or the Temanites. [The Septuagint has: ek tees gees Thaimanoon].
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 36 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOf which land, see ,20, so called either from the city Teman, or from Teman the son of Eliphaz, . Or, of the south country, as the ancient translations render it.
Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 36 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTHE KINGS OF EDOM, Genesis 36:31-39. How a monarchy arose among the Edomites we are not told, but it is noticeable that of the eight kings here mentioned, not one is said to have succeeded to his father.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 36 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
Tyndale line
And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead.
And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead.
When Iobab also was dead, Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his steade.
Strictly literal
And Jobab died; and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
and Jobab dieth, and reign in his stead doth Husham from the land of the Temanite.
and Jobab dies, and Husham from the land of the Temanite reigns in his stead.
And Yobab died, and there reigned in his stead Chusham of the land of Teman.
When Jobab died, Husham who was of the land of the Temanites, reigned in his place.
From the Latin
And when Jobab was dead, Husam of the land of the Themanites reigned in his stead.
Simplified
When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites took over as king.
And at the death of Jobab, Husham, from the country of the Temanites, became king in his place.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word with the Hebrew. The Septuagint also matches the Hebrew closely, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.
וַיָּ֖מָת יוֹבָ֑ב וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו חֻשָׁ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ הַתֵּימָנִֽי׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
וימת יובב וימלך תחתיו חשׁם מארץ התימני
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 36:34
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
The Hebrew word יוֹבָב (Yowbab) refers to several figures, including a son of Joktan, a king of Edom, and a king of Madon who opposed Joshua. It also denotes individuals from the tribe of Benjamin. The name is associated with the meaning 'a desert.' The entries indicate multiple references to different Jobabs across the Old Testament.
יוֹבָב n.pr.m.
‘son’ of Yoḳtân
a king in Edom
king of Madon
Benjamites
base
H3103 יוֹבָב . ‘son’ of Yoḳtân
. a king in Edom
. king of Madon
. Benjamites
3103 Yowbab yo-bawb'
from 2980; howler; Jobab, the name of two Israelites and of
three foreigners:--Jobab.
see HEBREW for 02980
יוֹבָב (yo.vav) — Jobab.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.29;
son of: Joktan (H3355);
brother of: Almodad (H0486), Sheleph (H8026), Hazarmaveth (H2700), Jerah (H3392), Hadoram (H1913A), Uzal (H0187), Diklah (H1853), Obal (H5745), Abimael (H0039), Sheba (H7614H), Ophir (H0211) and Havilah (H2341I)
§ Jobab = "a desert"
1) the last in order of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem
2) one of the kings of Edom
3) the king of Madon, located in northern Canaan, and one of the kings who opposed Joshua during the conquest and who were routed at Meron
4) head of a Benjamite house
5) another Benjamite
יוֹבָב (yo.vav) — Jobab.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.33;
son of: Zerah (H2226H)
§ Jobab = "a desert"
1) the last in order of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem
2) one of the kings of Edom
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Jobab
Dweller in the desert. (1.) One of the sons of Joktan, and founder of an Arabian tribe (Gen. 10:29). (2.) King of Edom, succeeded Bela (Gen. 36:33, 34). (3.) A Canaanitish king (Josh. 11:1) who joined the confederacy against Joshua.
(a desert). The last in order of the sons of Joktan. (Genesis 10:29; 1 Chronicles 1:23) One of the "kings" of Edom. (Genesis 3:34; 1 Chronicles 1:44; 45) King of Madon; one of the northern chieftains who attempted to oppose Joshua’s conquest and were routed by him at Meron. (Joshua 11:1) only. Head of a Benjamite house. (1 Chronicles 8:9)
sorrowful, hated
מָלַךְ (malak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to reign, become king or queen, or to counsel. It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to reign), Hiphil (to make someone king), and Niphal (to consider). The word appears in contexts related to royalty and governance, with a notable reference in Daniel 9:1 for its use in the passive form.
H4427a מָלַךְ vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign H4427b מָלַךְ counsel, advise—only Niph. Impf.
4427 malak maw-lak'
a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the
throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by
implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make,
set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to)
reign(-ing), rule, X surely.
מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to reign.
1) to be or become king or queen, reign
1a) (Qal) to be or become king or queen, reign
1b) (Hiphil) to make one king or queen, cause to reign
1c) (Hophal) to be made king or queen
מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to advise.
1) to counsel, advise
1a) (Niphal) to consider
Aramaic equivalent: me.lakh (מְלֵךְ "counsel" H4431)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.
תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
base
H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
8478 tachath takh'-ath
from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only
adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix
underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,
in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead
of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,
with.
see HEBREW for 08430
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.
: under/below
1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m
1a) the under part adv accus
1b) beneath prep
1c) under, beneath
1c1) at the foot of (idiom)
1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)
1c3) of subjection or conquest
1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands
1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)
1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)
1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)
conj
1e) instead of, instead of that
1f) in return for that, because that in compounds
1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)
1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.
: instead/in_place/exchange
Prep | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
חֻשָׁם (Chuwsham) refers to Husham, a king of Edom mentioned in the Old Testament, specifically in Genesis 36:34. The name is derived from a root meaning 'hastily.' The entries consistently identify Husham as an early Edomite king, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
חֻשָׁם, חוּשָׁם n.pr.m. a king of Edom
base
H2367 חֻשָׁם, חוּשָׁם a king of Edom
2367 Chuwsham khoo-shawm'
or Chusham {khoo-shawm'}; from 2363; hastily; Chusham, an
Idumaean:--Husham.
see HEBREW for 02363
חֻשָׁם (chu.sham) — Husham.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.34
§ Husham = "haste"
one of the early kings of Edom
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
hu'-sham (chusham, Ge 36:34; chusham, 1Ch 1:45-46, "alert"): According to the former reference, Husham was one of the kings of Edom, and according to the latter he was "of the land of the Temanites" and (1Ch 1:35 f) descended from Esau.
אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.
אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land
earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
earth, opp. to heaven, sky
earth = inhabitants of earth
land =
country, territory
district, region
trial territory
piece of ground
specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
= inhabitants of land
used even of Shᵉʼôl
ground, surface of ground
soil, as productive
אֶרֶץ in phrases
people of the land
in measurements of distance
the country of the plain, level or plain country
land of the living
end(s) of the earth
pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
base
H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
. earth, opp. to heaven, sky
. earth = inhabitants of earth
. land = . country, territory
. district, region
. trial territory
. piece of ground
. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
. = inhabitants of land
. used even of Shᵉʼôl
. . ground, surface of ground
. soil, as productive
. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land
. in measurements of distance
. the country of the plain, level or plain country
. land of the living
. end(s) of the earth
. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
776 'erets eh'-rets
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth
(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,
field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.
: country/field
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
1b2) district, region
1b3) tribal territory
1b4) piece of ground
1b5) land of Canaan, Israel
1b6) inhabitants of land
1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world
1b8) city (-state)
1c) ground, surface of the earth
1c1) ground
1c2) soil
1d) (in phrases)
1d1) people of the land
1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)
1d3) level or plain country
1d4) land of the living
1d5) end(s) of the earth
1e) (almost wholly late in usage)
1e1) lands, countries
1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.
: soil
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular constructHR/Ncfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
תֵּימָנִי (teymaní) refers to a Temanite, someone from Teman, a region east of Idumea. It is derived from תֵּימָן (Teman), which is associated with Esau's grandson and a duke of Edom. The entries consistently identify it as a descriptor for a descendant or inhabitant of Teman.
תֵּימָנִי adj.gent. the land of the Temanites
base
H8489 תֵּימָנִי the land of the Temanites
8489 Teymaniy tay-maw-nee'
patronymically from 8487; a Temanite or descendant of
Teman:--Temani, Temanite.
see HEBREW for 08487
תֵּימָנִי (te.ma.ni) — Temanite.
Someone from Teman
Group of te.man (תֵּימָן "Teman" H8487H)
§ Temanite or Temani "southward"
1) an inhabitant of Teman located east of Idumea
2) a descendant of Teman, the grandson of Esau and a duke of Edom
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa