Genesis 36:38–39

The seventh of the ancient kings of Edom. Gen. 36:38-39; 1 Chr. 1:49-50.

Baal-hanan — Baal is merciful.

Violence seems to have marked Esau's descendants, since no son follows his father on the throne. As one faction prevailed over another, so kings arose from different cities, until it seems the kingly authority was cut back and dukes followed them. In this change in the form of authority there is a characteristic element — we might say flaw — in human power: it is unstable. Man is unable to keep supreme and sole power in himself.

Because no son succeeded his father, some think the Edomite monarchy was elective. But this supposes that the people had enough power to choose their own ruler. That is a democratic principle, and we have no ground to suppose it existed in those early days. Violence and lust of power were there, and they bore fruit.

Edom had kings before Israel had any; that is all that is said. Edom was a settled nation under regular rule before God's people Israel were. In the chapter before, kings had been promised from Jacob's line. Yet the natural went first in apparent strength: God's people must wait His time.

Even then we find a rapid development of power in the family of Esau. They were all great people, to be sure — duke this and duke that, to the end of the chapter. Even kings, we are told, reigned in Edom before Israel had any. I have no doubt this is given to us as an important element, to mark how rapidly what is not of God shoots up. Growth according to God is slower, but then it is more permanent.

His sons are dukes, and before Israel had a king they had kings. Look at the record as it passes: the pride and pomp of dukes and kings, the alliances with God's enemies, the whole of it unmarked by any feature of God. We cannot help recognising the line of the flesh.

God lets the world show itself, and its power — or rather lack of power — first. Then come His purpose and its firm foundation. The Edomite kings are gone, but God's King remains for ever.

This was not the height of their development. "These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites." No fewer than eight kings are traced one after another, from Bela to Hadar. Yet the record carefully states that we have Esau's chiefs again (verses 40-43).

Mother of Mehetabel the wife of Hadad, or Hadar, king of Edom. Genesis 36:39; 1 Chronicles 1:50.

Apparently "Hadad" was a title of the kings of Edom rather than a name.

City in Edom in which Hadad or Hadar reigned. 1 Chronicles 1:50. Called PAU in Genesis 36:39. Not identified.

The kings of Edom are listed next (verses 43-54; compare Genesis 36:31-42). Violence marks this whole race, for not one of these kings has his son as his successor.

Violence seems to have marked them, for no king was followed by his son. As one faction won out over another, different kings arose from different cities. In the end, it seems, kingly power was cut back, and chiefs took the place of kings. We still see that kind of change in the form of authority today. It points to a mark — we might call it a flaw — in human power: it never holds steady. Man is unable to keep supreme and sole power in himself.

Edom had kings before Israel had any; that is all that is said. That Edom had them when Israel had had none is the point meant to be recorded. It was a settled nation, regularly ruled, before God's people Israel were. In the chapter before, kings had been promised to come from the loins of Jacob. Yet the natural went first in apparent strength: God's people must wait His time.

We see at once what remarkable maturity there was here. It is always so — first what is natural, afterwards what is spiritual. Even then we find a rapid development of power in Esau's family. They were all great people, to be sure — this chief and that chief, right to the end of the chapter — even kings, we are told, reigned before there were any in Israel. I have no doubt this is given to us as an important mark of how rapidly what is not of God shoots up. Growth according to God is slower, but it is more lasting.

The long list of names is therefore meant to impress on us that God has taken full account of the flesh and all its activities, and finds it to be only vanity.

What we do see in Esau's descendants, and what has marked the world, is rival factions contending for power, where of course the strongest arm wins. God lets the world show itself and its power — or rather its lack of power — first. Then come His purpose and its firm foundation. For there were kings in Edom before any were found in Israel. The Edomite kings are gone, but God's King remains forever.