16 September 2022 draft-bible
1. generations. As in 2:4.
2-5. The traditions about Esau’s wives preserved in Genesis appear to be in something of a confused state. For the notes about Esau’s wives in 26:34, 28:9, 36:2-5, 36:9-14, and the references to Anah in 36:20, 24, and 25. See Driver for a summary.
2. Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite. In Genesis 26:34, the daughter of Elon that Esau marries is named Basemath.
3. Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. It might appear, on first reading, that “Anah” in this verse must be a woman. But verses 20-25 make it clear that Anah was the son of Zibeon. One opinion is that we should correct “the daughter of Zibeon” to “the son of Zibeon”, and Driver notes that the LXX, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Peshitta all do read “son” of Zibeon. The NRSV here adopts the “son” reading. Among translators who seek to make sense of the Masoretic reading, a typical example is the NET, “Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon” – they take the second “daughter” in the verse in the extended sense of grand-daughter, and interpret both instances of bat as referring to Oholibamah.
3. the Hivite. Hebrew ḥ__wy. But verses 20 and 29 identify Zibeon as a Horite (Hebrew ḥry). It is reasonable to suppose that by a scribal error of one letter the mistaken “Hivite” has appeared in this verse instead of “Horite”.
3. Basemath. The KJV, for what reason I am not sure, reads this name as “Bashemath”. In 26:34, Esau’s wife Basemath is described as “the daughter of Elon the Hittite”.
3. Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth. In Genesis 28:9, it is a woman named Mahalath who is described as “Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth” and married to Esau.
5. Jeush. Hebrew YʿWŠ, vocalized yᵉʿuš, is the reading supported by the Qere, by verse 18, by 1 Chronicles 1:35, all or most of the ancient Versions, and by the Samaritan Pentateuch (BHK, 1909). The Ketiv reading is YʿYŠ.
9. generations. As in 2:4.
14. Jeush. Following the Qere YʿWŠ, while the Ketiv reads YʿYŠ.
15-19. clans__. Throughout this passage, wherever I read the word “clan”, the Masoretic Text reads ʾaluf. The basis of the common translation “chiefs” is the idea that ʾaluf is a word for some kind of leader, and is used in at least most cases of Edomites, with three possible exceptions in Zechariah (9:7; 12:5, 6). On the other hand, some read here instead ʾelef, “clan”, and the supporters of the “clan” interpretation include Speiser, the NRSV, and the NJPS. I am inclined to think that the “clan” interpretation makes better sense. If we read “chiefs”, then 15-19 are essentially a re-writing of 9-14, with the additional detail of declaring that each of Esau’s sons was a “chief”, and the passage as a whole is very strange. I do not know whether adopting the “clan” reading more logically should be characterized as a matter of interpretation (judging that ʾaluf here means “clan”) or of emendation (replacing ʾaluf with ʾelef).
ASV and WEB stick with the reading “chief” throughout.
15. Teman appears as a place or a people elsewhere in the Bible, repeatedly associated with Edom. Compare also the ethnonym “Temanite” (Genesis 36:45, 1 Chronicles 1:45, Job 2:11, etc.).
15. Amalek. The term “Amalek” occurs repeatedly for a people group in the Hebrew Bible.
21. clans. As in 15-19.
31. before any king reigned over the land of Israel. This is an indication that Genesis was written after the establishment of an Israelite monarchy – it argues against a date in the second millennium. If taken at face value, the nine kings listed for Edom would constitute about two hundred years of continuous monarchy in Edom prior to the establishment of the Israelite monarchy, which occurred some time around the turn of the millennia.
32. Bela son of Beor. Hebrew BL__ʿ BN BʿWR. It may not be obvious in English, but in Hebrew the name of this Transjordanian king varies only by a single letter from that of the Transjordanian prophet Balaam: BLʿM BN BʿWR. A Balaam son of Beor also appears as a seer in the Deir Alla inscription.
35. defeated. Literally, “struck”, but the verb is used a number of times for a military victory.
35. country. Or, field.
37. Shaul. This is the same name – at least in Hebrew – as the name translated “Saul”.
39. Me Zahab. Two words in the Hebrew. Generally it is the practice of the WEB to render two-word Hebrew names as two words in translation, but for some reason it seems to have departed from that practice here. I have rendered as two words for consistency.
40-43. clans. As in 15-19.
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