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Genesis 36:9 — Word Study

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WLCוְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֣י אֱד֑וֹם בְּהַ֖ר שֵׂעִֽיר׃

BSAThisʼêl-leh is the accounttôwlᵉdâh [history, genealogy] of EsauʻÊsâv [hairy, rough] the fatherʼâb [ancestor, patriarch] of the EdomitesʼĔdôm [descendants of Esau, people of Edom] in [the area of] Mounthar [hill country, region, hill, mountain] SeirSêʻîyr [hairy, shaggy]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 36
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (se.'Ir) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 36:9quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse introduces the genealogy of Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites, and specifies the region where he settled.
Who is speakingThe narrator of Genesis, presenting the lineage of Esau.
Where we areThis verse is part of the genealogical account in Genesis, focusing on Esau's descendants.
The hard wordתֹּלְד֥וֹת
Take awayThe verse emphasizes Esau's role as a patriarch and the significance of his lineage.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 36:9

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 Genealogy of Esaugenerated

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.
11The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.

Genesis 36:9 provides the genealogy of Esau, the father of the Edomites, highlighting his significance in the biblical narrative. This verse follows the account of Esau's settlement in the region of Mount Seir, as noted in the preceding verse, Genesis 36:8. The genealogy continues with the names of Esau's sons, establishing the lineage of the Edomites, which is important for understanding the historical context of Israel's neighbors.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 19:37The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites of today.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

the EdomitesGenesis 19:37

The Key Word תֹּלְד֥וֹת, to.le.Dotgenerated

The word תֹּלְד֥וֹת (toledot) is a feminine plural noun meaning 'generations' or 'accounts.' It refers to the histories or genealogies of a family, emphasizing the descendants and their lineage. This word is often used in the context of family trees or genealogical lists, as seen throughout Genesis.

In this verse, it indicates the specific lineage of Esau, underscoring the importance of ancestry in the biblical narrative. The plural form highlights the multiple generations that stem from Esau, reinforcing his role as a patriarch.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the area of Mount Seir.' The KJV and ASV also use 'account' for תֹּלְד֥וֹת, while the YLT and WEB align closely with this wording.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb אֵ֛לֶּה (ve'eleh) introduces the subject of the sentence, which is the genealogy of Esau. The structure is straightforward, presenting the subject followed by its description and location.

The noun phrases and prepositional phrases are clearly defined, establishing Esau's identity and his geographical context. This clarity in structure emphasizes the importance of lineage and location in the biblical narrative.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates תֹּלְד֥וֹת as γενεαί (geneai), meaning 'generations.' This choice aligns with the genealogical theme of the verse, emphasizing the continuity of Esau's lineage.

The use of γενεαί suggests a focus on the historical significance of Esau's descendants, which is consistent with the Hebrew text's intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 36:9 tells us about Esau, who is the father of the Edomites. This verse serves as a summary of his lineage and mentions the area where he settled, which is Mount Seir. The account highlights the importance of Esau's family in the biblical narrative.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the term 'account' refer to in this verse?

The term 'account' refers to the genealogy and history of Esau, detailing his descendants and their significance.

Why is Esau referred to as the father of the Edomites?

Esau is called the father of the Edomites because he is the ancestor of the Edomite people, who descended from him.

What is the significance of Mount Seir in this context?

Mount Seir is significant as the region where Esau settled, marking the territory of the Edomites.

How does this verse connect to the overall narrative of Genesis?

This verse connects to the overall narrative by establishing Esau's lineage and the relationship between the Israelites and Edomites, highlighting the historical context of their interactions.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can I learn from Esau's lineage about the importance of family history?
  2. How does understanding the genealogy of Esau help me grasp the relationships between different nations in the Bible?
  3. In what ways can I apply the lessons from Esau's story to my own family heritage?
  4. How does the geographical context of Mount Seir enhance my understanding of the Edomites?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 36:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And these are the generations of Esau,.... Or the posterity of Esau, his children and grandchildren, as before and hereafter related: the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir; from whom they of that

Read John Gill on Genesis 36 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 36 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) The father of the Edomites.—Heb., the father of Edom. He was himself the man Edom, but the word here means the country of which he was the colonizer.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 36 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9–14. The “sons” of Esau by Adah, Basemath, and Oholibamah must be regarded as the names of clans, and, like the sons of Ishmael and Israel, are 12 in number (Amalek, the son of Esau’s concubine, Timna, is excluded from this list of twelve).

Read Cambridge 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the area of Mount Seir.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

This is the history of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir:

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the area of Mount Seir.

NETBNew English Translation2006

This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

RVARevised Version, American1894

And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites, in mount Seir:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So these are the generations of Esau father of Edom in mount Seir.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And these are the generations of Esau, the father of Edom, in mount Seir.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And these [are] births of Esau, father of Edom, in mount Seir.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And these [are] the generations of Esau, father of Edom, in Mount Seir.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edom in mount Seir.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

These were the descendants of Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And these are the generations of Esau the father of Edom in mount Seir,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The following is the genealogy of Esau, father of the Edomites, who lived in the hill country of Seir:

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And these are the generations of Esau, the father of the Edomites in the hill-country of Seir:

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.

וְandclausepredicateאֵ֛לֶּהthesenoun phrase · subjectתֹּלְד֥וֹת[are].the.accountsnoun phraseעֵשָׂ֖וof.Esaunoun phraseאֲבִ֣יthe.ancestorאֱד֑וֹםof.Edomprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseהַ֖רthe.hill.countryשֵׂעִֽירof.Seir

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text reads: וְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֣י אֱד֑וֹם בְּהַ֖ר שֵׂעִֽיר׃. The Septuagint aligns closely with the Masoretic Text, matching six out of seven words, though its word order and articles differ due to translation choices. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word תולדת (generations) instead of תֹּלְד֥וֹת (offspring) found in the Masoretic Text. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain variations, with 4Q1 having two words on the leather and five supplied by an editor, while Sdeir1 has four words, with one partly restored and two supplied entirely by an editor. Overall, the Masoretic Text is largely supported by the other witnesses, with some differences in wording and restoration practices.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֣י אֱד֑וֹם בְּהַ֖ר שֵׂעִֽיר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאֵ֛לֶּהαὗταιעֵשָׂ֖וησαυאֲבִ֣יπατρὸςאֱד֑וֹםεδωμבְּהַ֖רὄρειשֵׂעִֽיר׃σηιρ

6 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ואלה תולדת עשׂו אבי אדום בהר שׂעיר

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: תולדת (generations)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ואלה] תולדת עשו [אבי] [אדום] [בהר] [שעיר]

2 words on the leather — 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — Sdeir1a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ואלה תלדות [עשו] [אבי] אדום בהר שעיר

4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Genesis 36:9אֵ֫לֶּהand theseand theseאֵ֫לֶּהתּוֹלֵדוֹת[are] [the][are] [the] accתּוֹלֵדוֹתעֵשָׂוEsauEsauעֵשָׂואָב[the] ances[the] ancestor אָבאֱדוֹםEdomEdomאֱדוֹםהַרin [the] hiin [the] hill cהַרשֵׂעִירSeirSeirשֵׂעִיראֵלthesetheseאֵליָלַדto begetto begetיָלַדאָדֹםredredאָדֹםעָשָׂהto maketo makeעָשָׂההַרmountainmountainהַרשָׂעִרhairyhairyשָׂעִראַלּוּףtametameאַלּוּףשֵׂעִיר(Mount) Se(Mount) SeirשֵׂעִירתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתנֹחַNoahNoahנֹחַיִשְׁמָעֵאלIshmaelIshmaelיִשְׁמָעֵאלקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםנְצִיבgarrisongarrisonנְצִיבגִּבְעָהGibeatGibeatגִּבְעָהאֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraimEphraimאֶפְרַ֫יִםחֹרִיHoriteHoriteחֹרִיעֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) Esauעֵשָׂו
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 36:9

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.

and these [are] [the] accounts of Esau [the] ancestor of Edom in [the] hill country of Seir
וְאֵ֛לֶּהve.'E.leh and these H428 Conjunction · particle
746× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.
Tyndale gloss
these
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these

in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

with preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

. with preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

428 'el-leh ale'-leh

prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one

sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,

thus, which, who(-m).

see HEBREW for 0411

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.

1) these

1a) used before antecedent

1b) used following antecedent

Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tm
and these [are] [the] accounts of Esau [the] ancestor of Edom in [the] hill country of Seir
תֹּלְד֥וֹתto.le.Dot [are] [the] accounts of H8435 Noun common · feminine plural construct
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a family's history or descendants, like a genealogy list. It appears in the Bible to describe a person's heritage or the passage of time. In 1 Chronicles, it's used to list the generations of Israelites.
Amplified meaning
history, genealogy
Tyndale gloss
generation
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תּוֹלֵדוֹת (towldah) refers to generations, particularly in genealogical contexts, encompassing a man's descendants and their history. It is derived from the root meaning of descent and can also imply a broader historical account. The term is used in plural form and highlights familial lineage and genealogical lists.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[תּוֹלֵדוֹת] 39 n.f.pl. generations, esp. in genealogies = account of a man and his descendants

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8435 תּוֹלֵדוֹת generations, esp. in genealogies = account of a man and his descendants

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8435 towldah to-led-aw'

or toldah {to-led-aw'}; from 3205; (plural only) descent,

i.e. family; (figuratively) history:--birth, generations.

see HEBREW for 03205

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תּוֹלֵדוֹת (to.le.dah) — generation.

1) descendants, results, proceedings, generations, genealogies

1a) account of men and their descendants

1a1) genealogical list of one's descendants

1a2) one's contemporaries

1a3) course of history (of creation etc)

1b) begetting or account of heaven (metaph)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and these [are] [the] accounts of Esau [the] ancestor of Edom in [the] hill country of Seir
עֵשָׂ֖ו'e.Sav Esau H6215 Noun proper masculine
97× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
hairy, rough
Tyndale gloss
(Mount) Esau
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵשָׂו (Esav) refers to Esau, the hairy eldest son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the twin brother of Jacob. He is noted for selling his birthright for food and is considered the progenitor of the Arab peoples. The name is also associated with Edom, and the entries indicate that it derives from a root meaning 'rough' or 'sensibly felt.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵשָׂו 97 n.pr.m. Esau

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6215 עֵשָׂו Esau

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6215 `Esav ay-sawv'

apparently a form of the passive participle of 6213 in the

original sense of handling; rough (i.e. sensibly felt); Esav,

a son of Isaac, including his posterity:--Esau.

see HEBREW for 06213

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵשָׂו (e.sav) — Esau.

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;

Also named: e.dom (אֱדוֹם "Edom" H0123H)

§ 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

עֵשָׂו (e.sav) — Esau.

People descended from 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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

e'-so (`esaw, "hairy"; Esau):

Son of Isaac, twin brother of Jacob. The name was given on account of the hairy covering on his body at birth: "all over like a hairy garment" (Ge 25:25). There was a prenatal foreshadowing of the relation his descendants were to sustain to those of his younger brother, Jacob (Ge 25:23). The moment of his birth also was signalized by a circumstance that betokened the same destiny (Ge 25:26).

The young Esau was fond of the strenuous, daring life of the chase--he became a skillful hunter, "a man of the field" ('ish sadheh). His father warmed toward him rather than toward Jacob, because Esau's hunting expeditions resulted in meats that appealed to the old man's taste (

Esau

Hairy, Rebekah’s first-born twin son (Gen. 25:25). The name of Edom, “red”, was also given to him from his conduct in connection with the red lentil “pottage” for which he sold his birthright (30, 31). The circumstances connected with his birth foreshadowed the enmity which afterwards subsisted between the twin brothers and the nations they founded (25:22, 23, 26). In process of time Jacob, following his natural bent, became a shepherd; while Esau, a “son of the desert,” devoted himself to the perilous and toilsome life of a huntsman. On a certain occasion, on returning from the chase, urged by the cravings of hunger, Esau sold his birthright to his brother, Jacob, who thereby obtained the covenant blessing (Gen. 27:28, 29, 36;

(hairy), the eldest son of Isaac, and twin-brother of Jacob. The singular appearance of the child at his birth originated the name. (Genesis 25:25) Esau’s robust frame and "rough" aspect were the types of a wild and daring nature. He was a thorough Bedouin, a "son of the desert." He was much loved by his father, and was of course his heir, but was induced to sell his birthright to Jacob. Mention of his unhappy marriages may be found in (Genesis 26:34) The next episode in the life of Esau is the loss of his father’s covenant blessing, which Jacob secured through the craft of his mother, and the anger of Esau, who vows vengeance. (Genesis 27:1) ... Later he marries a daughter of Ishmael, (

The son of Isaac, and twin brother of Jacob, Ge 25:1-34. He was the elder of the two, and was therefore legally the heir, but sold his birthright to Jacob. We have an account of his ill-advised marriages, Ge 26:34; of his loss of his father’s chief blessing, and his consequent anger against Jacob, Ge 27:1-46; of their subsequent reconciliation, Ge 32:1-33:20; and of his posterity, Ge 36:1-43. He is also called Edom; and settled in the mountains south of the Dead Sea, extending to the gulf of Akaba, where he became very powerful. This country was called from him the land of Edom, and afterwards IDUMAEA, which see.

and these [are] [the] accounts of Esau [the] ancestor of Edom in [the] hill country of Seir
אֲבִ֣י'a.Vi [the] ancestor of H1 Noun common · masculine singular construct
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
ancestor, patriarch
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and these [are] [the] accounts of Esau [the] ancestor of Edom in [the] hill country of Seir
אֱד֑וֹם'e.Dom Edom H123 Noun proper masculine
100× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
descendants of Esau, people of Edom
Tyndale gloss
Edom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱדוֹם (Edom) refers to both a person and a region. It is derived from the Hebrew word for 'red' and is associated with Esau, Jacob's brother. The term encompasses the Edomites, descendants of Esau, and the land of Edom, located southeast of Palestine. It is first mentioned in Genesis 25:25.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱדוֹם († אֱדֹם Ez 25:11) n.pr.m.

Edom

coll. Edomites, Idumeans as descend. of Esau

land of Edom, Idumaea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H123 אֱדוֹם . Edom

. coll. Edomites, Idumeans as descend. of Esau

. land of Edom, Idumaea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

123 'Edom ed-ome'

or (fully) oEdowm {ed-ome'}; from 122; red (see Gen. 25:25);

Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region

(Idumaea) occupied by him:--Edom, Edomites, Idumea.

see HEBREW for 0122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱדוֹם (e.dom) — Edom.

Edom = "red"

land of Edom, Idumea-land south and south east of Palestine

אֱדוֹם (e.dom) — Edom.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Edom

(1.) The name of Esau (q.v.), Gen. 25:30, “Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage [Heb. haadom, haadom, i.e., ‘the red pottage, the red pottage’] ...Therefore was his name called Edom”, i.e., Red.

(2.) Idumea (Isa. 34:5, 6; Ezek. 35:15). “The field of Edom” (Gen. 32:3), “the land of Edom” (Gen. 36:16), was mountainous (Obad. 1:8, 9, 19, 21). It was called the land, or “the mountain of Seir,” the rough hills on the east side of the Arabah. It extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Red, a name of Esau, Isaac’s eldest son, appropriate on account of his natural complexion, but given, it would seem, from the current name of food for which he sold his birthright-"that same red," Ge 25:25,30. See ESAU and IDUMEA.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

red, earthy; of blood

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Signifies red)

1. A name of Esau, possibly on account of his being covered with red hair Ge 25:25,30; 36:1,8,19

2. A name of the land occupied by the descendants of Esau

It extended from the Elanitic Gulf to the Red Sea, and was also called IDUMEA Ge 32:3; 36:16,17,21; Jer 40:11

Noted for its wise men Ob 1:8

Sins of Ob 1:10-14

Prophecies concerning Jer 25:21-23; 27:1-11; Da 11:41

See EDOMITES

FIGURATIVE of the foes of Zion Isa 63:1

and these [are] [the] accounts of Esau [the] ancestor of Edom in [the] hill country of Seir
בְּהַ֖רbe.Har in [the] hill country of H2022 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
hill country, region, hill, mountain
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and these [are] [the] accounts of Esau [the] ancestor of Edom in [the] hill country of Seir
שֵׂעִֽיר׃se.'Ir Seir H8165 Noun proper
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
hairy, shaggy
Tyndale gloss
(Mount) Seir
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׂעִיר (Se`iyr) refers to a mountainous region in Edom, south of the Dead Sea, and is associated with its early inhabitants, the Horites. The term can mean 'hairy' or 'shaggy' and also denotes a patriarch of the Horites mentioned in Genesis 36:20. The entries collectively emphasize its geographical and genealogical significance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׂעִיר n.pr. Sē‛ir

terr. land of Edom, S. of Dead Sea

specif. mont. E. of Arabah

gent. = Edom

personif. as m.

mont. in Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8165a שֵׂעִיר Sēir H8165b שֵׂעִיר Sēir

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8165 Se`iyr say-eer'

formed like 8163; rough; Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its

aboriginal occupants, also one in Palestine:--Seir.

see HEBREW for 08163

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׂעִיר (se.ir) — Seir.

§ Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy"

n pr terr

2) the land of Edom, south of the Dead Sea n pr mont

3) a mountain range in Edom extending from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf

3a) apparently also called 'Mount Seir' and extending most of the distance of the mountain range itself

4) a mountain in northern Judah lying westward from Kirjath-jearim

שֵׂעִיר (se.ir) — Seir.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.20;

father of: Lotan (H3877), Shobal (H7732), Zibeon (H6649H), Anah (H6034H), Dishon (H1787), Ezer (H0687), Dishan (H1789), Timna (H8555H)

§ Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy"

patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites

שֵׂעִיר (se.ir) — (Mount) Seir.

§ Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy"

patriarch of the Horites, the inhabitants of Edom before the descendants of Esau, the Edomites

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se'-ir:

(1) (har se'-ir, "Mt. Seir" (Ge 14:6, etc.), 'erets se`-ir (Ge 32:3, etc.); to oros Seeir, ge Seeir): In Ge 32:3 "the land of Seir" is equated with "the field of Edom." The Mount and the Land of Seir are alternative appellations of the mountainous tract which runs along the eastern side of the Arabah, occupied by the descendants of Esau, who succeeded the ancient Horites (Ge 14:6; 36:20), "cave-dwellers," in possession. For a description of the land see EDOM.

(2) (har se`ir; Codex Vaticanus Assar; Codex Alexandrinus Seeir): A landmark on the boundary of Judah (Jos 15:10), not far from Kiriath-jearim and Chesalon.…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Seir

Rough; hairy. (1.) A Horite; one of the “dukes” of Edom (Gen. 36:20-30).

(2.) The name of a mountainous region occupied by the Edomites, extending along the eastern side of the Arabah from the south-eastern extremity of the Dead Sea to near the Akabah, or the eastern branch of the Red Sea. It was originally occupied by the Horites (Gen. 14:6), who were afterwards driven out by the Edomites (Gen. 32:3; 33:14, 16). It was allotted to the descendants of Esau (Deut. 2:4, 22; Josh. 24:4; 2 Chr. 20:10; Isa.…

(hairy, Shaggy), We have both "land of Seir," (Genesis 32:3; 36:50) and "Mount Seir." (Genesis 14:6) It is the original name of the mountain range extending along the east side of the valley of Arabah, from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic, Golf. The Horites appear to have been the chief of the aboriginal inhabitants, (Genesis 36:20) but it was ever afterward the possession of the Edomites, the descendants of Esau. The Mount Seir of the: Bible extended much farther south than the modern province, as is shown by the words of (2:1-8) It had the Arabah on the west, vs. 1 and 8; it extended as far south as the head of the Gulf of Akabah, ver. 8; its eastern border ran along the base of the mountain range where the plateau of Arabia…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. A mountain of Judah, near Kirjath-jearim, Jos 15:10.

2. A Horite, one of the primitive rulers of the country south and southeast of the Dead Sea, Ge 36:20 De 2:12.

3. A mountainous tract lying between the southern extremity of the Dead Sea and the eastern gulf of the Red Sea. Mount Hor formed part of Seir, and is the only part that retains its original name. See IDUMEA.

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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