Chapter 1

Genealogical Table from Adam to Edom.

From Adam to the Sons of Keturah

¹Adam, Sheth, Enosh, the members of the families in the direct order of succession only being mentioned, ²Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, ³Henoch, who was taken up into heaven by the Lord, Methuselah, the man who reached the highest age recorded in history, Lamech, ⁴Noah, with whom the list of the antediluvian patriarchs is brought to an end, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, all three sons of Noah being mentioned as the founders of the world after the Flood. ⁵The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. ⁶And the sons of Gomer: Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. ⁷And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. The seven sons and seven grandsons of Japheth were the founders of strong nations. Cp. Gen. 10, 2–5. ⁸The sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. ⁹And the sons of Cush: Sevah, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. ¹⁰And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be mighty upon the earth, the first ruler of a world empire. ¹¹And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, ¹²and Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim. These two were brother nations. ¹³And Canaan begat Zidon, his first-born, and Heth, ¹⁴the Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, ¹⁵and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, ¹⁶and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite, all these nations being established afterwards to the southeast and east of the Mediterranean Sea. Cp. Gen. 10, 6–20. ¹⁷The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech (or Mash), the last four being sons of Aram and grandsons of Shem. These nations were found principally on the Arabian Peninsula and in the valley of the Euphrates and Tigris. ¹⁸And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. ¹⁹And unto Eber were born two sons; the name of the one was Peleg (division), because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. ²⁰And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazar-maveth, and Jerah, ²¹Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah, ²²and Ebal (or Obal), and Abimael, and Sheba, ²³and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. The nations were found from Asia Minor eastward to India. Cp. Gen. 10, 21–31. V. 24. Here follows Shem’s line to Abraham: Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, ²⁵Eber, Peleg, Reu, ²⁶Serug, Nahor, Terah, ²⁷Abram; the same is Abraham, the Lord Himself having changed his name, Gen. 17, 5. ²⁸The sons of Abraham: Isaac, the son of promise and bearer of the Messianic prophecy, and Ishmael. ²⁹These are their generations: The first-born of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, ³⁰Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema, ³¹Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael, Gen. 25, 12–16. These names are perpetuated in the clans and tribes of the Arabs to the present day, a witness of the fulfilment of God’s promises. He is true and faithful and will not let His words fall to the ground.

The Descendants of Esau and the Dukes of Edom

³²Now, the sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, the half-brothers of Ishmael; she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah, these being the founders of nomadic tribes in the northern part of Arabia and in Syria. Cp. Gen. 25, 1. 2; Gen. 36, 35; Job 2, 11. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. ³³And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons, the descendants, of Keturah. ³⁴And Abraham begat Isaac, this verse continuing the enumeration of verse 28. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. ³⁵The sons of Esau, who forfeited his birthright and was not the bearer of the Messianic promise: Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. Cp. Gen. 36, 9–14. ³⁶The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek. ³⁷The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. ³⁸And the sons of Seir: Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan. ³⁹And the sons of Lotan: Hori, and Homan (or Heman); and Timna was Lotan’s sister. ⁴⁰The sons of Shobal: Alian (or Alvan), and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. ⁴¹The sons of Anah: Dishon. And the sons of Dishon: Amram (or Hemdan), and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. ⁴²The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan (or Akan). The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. Cp. Gen. 36, 20–28. These men were founders of nomadic tribes occupying the country between the Red Sea and the Euphrates, some of the mightiest ones being found near the boundary of Chaldea. ⁴³Now, these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel: Bela, the son of Beor; and the name of his city was Dinhabah. This has been identified with D’Daeb, a well-known town in the center of Al Dahna, a great northern desert in the direction of Chaldea and the Euphrates. ⁴⁴And when Bela was dead, Jobab, the son of Zerah, of Bozrah reigned in his stead. ⁴⁵And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. ⁴⁶And when Husham was dead, Hadad, the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead; and the name of his city was Avith. ⁴⁷And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. ⁴⁸And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. ⁴⁹And when Shaul was dead, Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor, reigned in his stead. ⁵⁰And when Baal-hanan was dead, Hadad (or Hadar) reigned in his stead; and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. It appears from this that the country had no definite capital at this time, and that the royal power was not hereditary. Probably the ruler was elected from the total number of princes or most influential sheiks. ⁵¹Hadad died also, and after his death the office of king seems to have been abolished. And the dukes of Edom were: Duke Timnah, Duke Aliah, Duke Jetheth, ⁵²Duke Aholibamah, Duke Elah, Duke Pinon, ⁵³Duke Kenaz, Duke Teman, Duke Mibzar, ⁵⁴Duke Magdiel, Duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom. For the entire passage compare Gen. 36, 31–39. 51–54. This list has only geographical importance, as naming the chief Edomite principalities. It has been preserved to show how completely the Lord fulfilled His promise concerning Esau.