Genesis 36:15

But there is another genealogy (Gen. 36), and strikingly introduced in this place. The Edomite interrupts the course of God's dealings. We see at once what remarkable maturity there was here. It is always so — first that which is natural, afterwards that which is spiritual. 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 there before Israel had any. 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 then it is more permanent.

The chapter shows us that Esau prospered in earthly things, so that his father's blessing was fulfilled to him (27:39-40). He occupied his own territory, became quite independent of Jacob, and his descendants multiplied and became chiefs and well known. They became not only "dukes" but even "kings," and that before any king appeared in Israel's line. In earthly greatness and power the children of this world have always taken precedence over the children of God.

Son of Eliphaz, a son of Esau, and a duke of Edom; also his descendants and the district they lived in. It is four times connected with Edom, and twice with Dedan: this places it in the south. Scripture speaks of its wisdom, and God pronounces judgements on it. One of Job's friends was Eliphaz the Temanite.

The last in this series of judgments will fall in Edom, the land of Esau (Teman being Eliphaz's eldest son, Genesis 36:15), because of Edom's undying hatred of Israel.

The man "after the flesh" cannot live together with the one whom God has chosen. Yet Esau (Edom) prospers and grows great in material things. His sons become "dukes" (vv. 15-43) before Jacob's family reach such honour — except for Joseph in Egypt. We must remember that Joseph did not exalt himself; Pharaoh exalted him. Esau's family shows the usual history of the flesh, which always exalts itself. So the long list of names is meant to impress on us that God has taken full account of the flesh and all its activities, finding it only vanity.

All the prophets who have spoken of Edom give that people the same character. They find in Edom the same causes of God's controversy with them. Profaneness, pride, hatred of Israel — these are Edom's common marks. The world was Esau's portion, while Israel was still a stranger and a pilgrim. His children had their dukedoms. They were kings too, and they had their cities. They were settled, like eagles nesting in the clefts of the rocks. All this time Jacob's children were still homeless wanderers in lands that were not theirs, or in barren deserts.

While a remnant of the other nations will come in for blessing in a future day, Edom will not. Let us take the moral of it to heart, for we may easily fall into the same spirit as the Edomite. Jeremiah saw the failures and sins of God's people, but he wept over them. Daniel and other godly men confessed those sins as their own. But the spirit of the Edomite is bitter hatred against people who, whatever their failures, are still the people of God.