Genesis 36:15-43

¹⁵ These are the leaders of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: the leaders Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,

¹⁶ Korah, Gatam, and Amalek; these are the leaders of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. ¹⁷ These are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: the leaders Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah; these are the leaders of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife.

¹⁸ These are the sons of Ohol-ibamah, Esau’s wife: the leaders Jeush, Jalam, and Korah; these are the leaders born of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife.

¹⁹ These are the sons of Esau ( that is, Edom), and these are their leaders. ²⁰ These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

²¹ Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the leaders of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom.

²² The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna.

²³ These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

²⁴ These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father.

²⁵ These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. ²⁶ These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

²⁷ These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.

²⁸ These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

²⁹ These are the leaders of the Horites: the leaders Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,

³⁰ Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the leaders of the Horites, leader by leader in the land of Seir.

³¹ These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites.

³² Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, the name of his city being Dinhabah. ³³ Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place.

³⁴ Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.

³⁵ Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith.

³⁶ Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.

³⁷ Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place.

³⁸ Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.

³⁹ Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pau; his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

⁴⁰ These are the names of the leaders of Esau, according to their clans and their dwelling places, by their names: the leaders Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

⁴¹ Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,

⁴² Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

⁴³ Magdiel, and Iram; these are the leaders of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of Edom), according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession.

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another life

The Edomites produced many great leaders, and these had a significant impact on their world before the glory days of Israel. For some people, all they hope for is to be like that – to make their mark upon their world, and then to fade away into memory. God wants more from us. He wants us to have true significance. That is one reason that his plan for us includes a resurrection unto eternal life. No matter how important a life is, it is still only a shadow, destined to pass away quickly.[1]

Perhaps you are at a point in your life where you are beginning to see that you are not going to make the kind of mark on this world that you thought. That can be disappointing. But it helps to realize that the LORD has called you to another life – a truly significant one. Compared to what you will be, your whole life now is simply a dress rehearsal.

LORD, help us to make every day count, but if we face the disappointment of days of insignificance, remind us of your promise of another life – a resurrection life.

[1] Job 8:9; 14:1-2; 1 Chronicles 29:15; Psalm 144:4; Ecclesiastes 6:12.