Genesis 36 Commentary
What are we doing discussing Esau’s line? An entire chapter is devoted to Esau’s line!
Of course, no one should think of it as a loss.
We know the background: Jacob is blessed ahead of Esau. But we know more. The LORD’S intention is to bless everyone. If Esau missed the blessing, you guess Heaven lost the most. Yes, Esau cried but only a little as humans never really know what they miss when God’s calling bypasses them.
It’s always God’s intention to bless the nations. It is a pain that Esau missed the direct blessing. Heaven felt it more!
But guess what, Edom, like other nations, is in the queue to the blessing of the LORD.
For now, we can ponder Esau’s example as one that displays the consequences of poor decisions—Esau is full of them! The young Jacob is a conman, but that, too, is yet another lesson. The saved never come from a perfect batch! These things are written for our instruction.
Regardless, Esau’s line serves as evidence of the LORD’s care, concern, and regard for Esau. His file is still on the LORD’s desk! Ponder.
Esau went on and married Canaanite women. The LORD would later forbid Israel from intermarrying with the Canaanites. Even during the time of Esau’s grandfather, Abraham, the Canaanites were a godless bunch from whom Abraham needed to stay clear.
In fact, Abraham is isolated from the nations for the purpose of a blameless walk with the Creator God. Esau, therefore, has merely reestablished the link that shouldn’t exist in the first place. It is a sad development.
He becomes one of the nations! A sinful League of Nations! But we have trouble right within the household of faith, Simeon, Levi, and Reuben – they all duplicate Canaanite practices to perfection! Of course, the LORD has His own words about this wickedness.
Both Esau and Jacob have grown big – their possessions too much to accommodate them in one place. Don’t forget where we are coming from. Jacob started from zero. Esau must have inherited the vast wealth of his father Isaac. The LORD has made the statement that it really doesn’t matter where you start from!
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