Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 36

20These are the sons of Se’ir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land of Se’ir: Lotan, Shoval, Tziv’on, Anah,   כאֵ֤לֶּה בְנֵֽי־שֵׂעִיר֙ הַֽחֹרִ֔י יֽשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ לוֹטָ֥ן וְשׁוֹבָ֖ל וְצִבְע֥וֹן וַֽעֲנָֽה:
יֽשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ - The inhabitants of the land - i.e., they were its inhabitants before Esau arrived there. But our rabbis explained this to mean that they were experts in cultivating the land (יִשּׁוּבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ), being able to say, “This measure of ground is good for olives; this measure of ground is for vines,” for they would taste the soil and thus know what kind of plant was suited to it.   יֽשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ.  שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ קֹדֶם שֶׁבָּא עֵשָׂו לְשָׁם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ (שבת פ"ה) שֶׁהָיוּ בְּקִיאִין בְּיִשּׁוּבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ; מְלֹא קָנֶה זֶה לְזֵיתִים, מְלֹא קָנֶה זֶה לִגְפָנִים, שֶׁהָיוּ טוֹעֲמִין הֶעָפָר וְיוֹדְעִין אֵי זוֹ נְטִיעָה רְאוּיָה לוֹ:
21Dishon, Etzer, and Dishan. These were the tribal chiefs of the Horites among the sons of Se’ir in Edom.   כאוְדִשׁ֥וֹן וְאֵ֖צֶר וְדִישָׁ֑ן אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֧י הַֽחֹרִ֛י בְּנֵ֥י שֵׂעִ֖יר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֱדֽוֹם:
22The sons of Lotan were Chori and Heimam. Lotan’s half-sister was Timna.   כבוַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־לוֹטָ֖ן חֹרִ֣י וְהֵימָ֑ם וַֽאֲח֥וֹת לוֹטָ֖ן תִּמְנָֽע:
23These are the sons of Shoval: Alvan, Manachat, Eival, Shefo, and Onam.   כגוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י שׁוֹבָ֔ל עַלְוָ֥ן וּמָנַ֖חַת וְעֵיבָ֑ל שְׁפ֖וֹ וְאוֹנָֽם:
24These are the sons of Tziv’on: Ayah and Anah. It was Anah who discovered how to breed mules in the desert, when he was tending the donkeys for his father Tziv’on.   כדוְאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־צִבְע֖וֹן וְאַיָּ֣ה וַֽעֲנָ֑ה ה֣וּא עֲנָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָצָ֤א אֶת־הַיֵּמִם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בִּרְעֹת֥וֹ אֶת־הַֽחֲמֹרִ֖ים לְצִבְע֥וֹן אָבִֽיו:
וְאַיָּה וַֽעֲנָה - The ו of וְאַיָּה is superfluous, and this phrase is thus the equivalent of אַיָּה וַעֲנָה – “Ayah and Anah.” There are many examples of this in Scripture: “delivering the Sanctuary and the host (וְקֹדֶשׁ וְצָבָא) for trampling”; 1 “the chariot and the horse (וְרֶכֶב וָסוּס) are put to sleep.” 2   וְאַיָּה וַֽעֲנָה.  וָי"ו יְתֵרָה, וְהוּא כְּמוֹ אַיָּה וַעֲנָה, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּמִּקְרָא, תֵּת וְקֹדֶשׁ וְצָבָא מִרְמָס (דניאל ח'), נִרְדָּם וְרֶכֶב וָסוּס (תהילים ע"ו):
הוּא עֲנָה - (lit.) He is Anah - mentioned above 3 as being the brother of Tziv’on, whereas here he is called his son. This teaches us that Tziv’on had relations with his own mother and fathered Anah.   הוּא עֲנָה.  הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהוּא אָחִיו שֶׁל צִבְעוֹן וְכָאן הוּא קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ בְּנוֹ? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא צִבְעוֹן עַל אִמּוֹ וְהוֹלִיד אֶת עֲנָה:
אֶת־הַיֵּמִם - means “mules.” He crossbred a donkey with a mare, and it gave birth to a mule; he himself was an illegitimate child, so he brought unnatural offspring into the world. And why are they called יֵמִים? Because fear (אֵימָה) of them lies upon the creatures, for Rabbi Chanina said, “Never has anyone asked me about an injury caused by a white mule and survived.” 4 – But do we not see that they do survive? You should not read the text וְחָיָה “and survived,” but וְחָיְתָה “and it healed,” for the wound will never become cured. – It would not have been necessary to write the genealogy of the Horites were it not for Timna, and this was to tell us of the greatness of Abraham, as I explained above. 5   אֶת־הַיֵּמִם.  פְּרָדִים, הִרְבִּיעַ חֲמוֹר עַל סוּס נְקֵבָה וְיָלְדָה פֶּרֶד, וְהוּא הָיָה מַמְזֵר וְהֵבִיא פְסוּלִין לָעוֹלָם; וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם יֵמִים? שֶׁאֵימָתָן מֻטֶּלֶת עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִיָּמַי לֹא שְׁאָלַנִי אָדָם עַל מַכַּת פִּרְדָּה לְבָנָה וְחָיָה (חולין ז') (וַהֲלֹא קָא חֲזִינָן דְּחָיָה? אַל תִּקְרֵי וְחָיָה אֶלָּא וְחָיְתָה, כִּי הַמַּכָּה לֹא תֵּרָפֵא לְעוֹלָם, בְרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן) וְלֹא הֻזְקַק לִכְתֹּב לָנוּ מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַחוֹרִי אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי תִּמְנָע, וּלְהוֹדִיעַ גְּדֻלַּת אַבְרָהָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה:
25These are the children of Anah: his son Dishon and his stepdaughter Oholivamah daughter of Anah.   כהוְאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־עֲנָ֖ה דִּשֹׁ֑ן וְאָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֖ה בַּת־עֲנָֽה:
26These are the sons of Dishon: Chemdan, Eshban, Yitran, and Keran.   כווְאֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י דִישָׁ֑ן חֶמְדָּ֥ן וְאֶשְׁבָּ֖ן וְיִתְרָ֥ן וּכְרָֽן:
27These are the sons of Etzer: Bilhan, Za’avan, and Akan.   כזאֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־אֵ֑צֶר בִּלְהָ֥ן וְזַעֲוָ֖ן וַֽעֲקָֽן:
28These are the sons of Dishan: Utz and Aran.   כחאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־דִישָׁ֖ן ע֥וּץ וַֽאֲרָֽן:
29These are the tribal chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shoval, Chief Tziv’on, Chief Anah,   כטאֵ֖לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֣י הַֽחֹרִ֑י אַלּ֤וּף לוֹטָן֙ אַלּ֣וּף שׁוֹבָ֔ל אַלּ֥וּף צִבְע֖וֹן אַלּ֥וּף עֲנָֽה:
30Chief Dishon, Chief Etzer, Chief Dishan. These are the tribal chiefs of the Horites, enumerated chief by chief, in the land of Se’ir.   לאַלּ֥וּף דִּשֹׁ֛ן אַלּ֥וּף אֵ֖צֶר אַלּ֣וּף דִּישָׁ֑ן אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֧י הַֽחֹרִ֛י לְאַלֻּֽפֵיהֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שֵׂעִֽיר:
31These are the kings who reigned in Edom before any king reigned over the descendants of Israel.   לאוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלְכ֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם לִפְנֵ֥י מְלָךְ־מֶ֖לֶךְ לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים וגו' - These are the kings… They were eight, and correspondingly the kingdom of Jacob appointed eight kings during whose reigns the kingdom of Esau ceased to exist. These kings were: Saul, Ishboshet, David, Solomon, Rechav’am, Aviyah, Asa, and Yehoshafat. Of the days of Yoram, Yehoshafat’s son, it is written: “in his days, Edom rebelled against the dominion of the kingdom of Judah and appointed over themselves a king,” 6 while of the period from Saul to Yehoshafat it is written: “There was no king in Edom; only a governor appointed by Judah ruled.” 7   וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים וגו'.  שְׁמוֹנָה הָיוּ וּכְנֶגְדָּן הֶעֱמִיד יַעֲקֹב וּבִטֵּל מַלְכוּת עֵשָׂו בִּימֵיהֶם, אֵלּוּ הֵן, שָׁאוּל וְאִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת, דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה, רְחַבְעָם, אֲבִיָּה, אָסָא, יְהוֹשָׁפָט; וּבִימֵי יוֹרָם בְּנוֹ כָּתוּב בְּיָמָיו פָּשַׁע אֱדוֹם מִתַּחַת יַד יְהוּדָה וַיַּמְלִכוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ (מלכים ב ח'), וּבִימֵי שָׁאוּל כָּתוּב וּמֶלֶךְ אֵין בֶּאֱדוֹם נִצָּב מֶלֶךְ (מלכים א כ"ב):
32Bela son of Be’or became king of Edom, and the name of his city, i.e., where he came from, was Dinhavah.   לבוַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ בֶּֽאֱד֔וֹם בֶּ֖לַע בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ דִּנְהָֽבָה:
33Bela died, and he was succeeded as king by Yovav son of Zerach, who was from Botzrah.   לגוַיָּ֖מָת בָּ֑לַע וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו יוֹבָ֥ב בֶּן־זֶ֖רַח מִבָּצְרָֽה:
יוֹבָב בֶּן־זֶרַח מִבָּצְרָֽה - Yovav son of Zerach, from Botzrah. Botzrah is in fact a town in Moab, as it says in relation to Moab: “And over Keriyot and Botzrah…,” 8 and because it produced a king of Edom, it will in the future be punished with the people of Edom, as it says: “for God will carry out a slaughter in Botzrah.” 9   יוֹבָב בֶּן־זֶרַח מִבָּצְרָֽה.  בָּצְרָה מֵעָרֵי מוֹאָב הִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעַל קְרִיּוֹת וְעַל בָּצְרָה וגו' (ירמיהו מ"ח); וּלְפִי שֶׁהֶעֱמִידָה מֶלֶךְ לֶאֱדוֹם, עֲתִידָה לִלְקוֹת עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי זֶבַח לַה' בְּבָצְרָה (ישעיהו ל"ד):
34Yovav died, and he was succeeded as king by Chusham, who was from the land of the Teimanites.   לדוַיָּ֖מָת יוֹבָ֑ב וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו חֻשָׁ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ הַתֵּֽימָנִֽי:
35Chusham died, and he was succeeded as king by Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab. The name of his city, i.e., where he came from, was Avit.   להוַיָּ֖מָת חֻשָׁ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ תַּחְתָּ֜יו הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־בְּדַ֗ד הַמַּכֶּ֤ה אֶת־מִדְיָן֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ עֲוִֽית:
הַמַּכֶּה אֶת־מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב - Who defeated Midian in the field of Moab - for Midian waged war against Moab and the king of Edom went to help Moab. From here we learn that Midian and Moab were in conflict with each other, but in the days of Balaam they made peace in order to plot against Israel.   הַמַּכֶּה אֶת־מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב.  שֶׁבָּאוּ מִדְיָן עַל מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה, וְהָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם לַעֲזֹר אֶת מוֹאָב; וּמִכָּאן אָנוּ לְמֵדִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מִדְיָן וּמוֹאָב מְרִיבִים זֶה עִם זֶה, וּבִימֵי בִלְעָם עָשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
36Hadad died, and he was succeeded as king by Samlah, who was from Masrekah.   לווַיָּ֖מָת הֲדָ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו שַׂמְלָ֖ה מִמַּשְׂרֵקָֽה:
37Samlah died, and he was succeeded as king by Sha’ul, who was from Rechovot on the Euphrates River.   לזוַיָּ֖מָת שַׂמְלָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו שָׁא֖וּל מֵֽרְחֹב֥וֹת הַנָּהָֽר:
38Sha’ul died, and he was succeeded as king by Ba’al-Chanan son of Achbor.   לחוַיָּ֖מָת שָׁא֑וּל וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו בַּ֥עַל חָנָ֖ן בֶּן־עַכְבּֽוֹר:
39Ba’al-Chanan son of Achbor died, and he was succeeded as king by Hadar, and the name of his city, i.e., where he came from, was Pa’u. His wife’s name was Meheitav’el daughter of Matred, who was also known as the daughter of Mei-Zahav.   לטוַיָּ֘מָת֘ בַּ֣עַל חָנָ֣ן בֶּן־עַכְבּוֹר֒ וַיִּמְלֹ֤ךְ תַּחְתָּיו֙ הֲדַ֔ר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ פָּ֑עוּ וְשֵׁ֨ם אִשְׁתּ֤וֹ מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵל֙ בַּת־מַטְרֵ֔ד בַּ֖ת מֵ֥י זָהָֽב:
בַּת־מֵי זָהָֽב - The daughter of Mei-Zahav. Matred was so called because he used to say, “What (value) is gold (מַהוּ זָהָב)?” – i.e., he was so rich that in his eyes gold was considered worthless.   בַּת־מֵי זָהָֽב.  מַהוּ זָהָב? עָשִׁיר הָיָה, וְאֵין זָהָב חָשׁוּב בְּעֵינָיו לִכְלוּם:
40The following are the names of the tribal chiefs of Esau, according to the names of their families and regions. The chief of the tribe of Timna, the chief of the tribe of Alvah, the chief of the tribe of Yetet,   מוְאֵ֠לֶּה שְׁמ֞וֹת אַלּוּפֵ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לִמְקֹֽמֹתָ֖ם בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם אַלּ֥וּף תִּמְנָ֛ע אַלּ֥וּף עַלְוָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף יְתֵֽת:
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו - The following are the names of the tribal chiefs of Esau - who were named according to their provinces, after Hadar died and their monarchy ceased; and the first chieftains mentioned above 10 were the names of Esau’s sons’ descendants. That these chieftains ruled following Hadar is stated explicitly in 1 Chronicles: 11 “Hadad died, and the chieftains of Edom then were: the chief of Timna…”   וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו.  שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם מְדִינוֹתֵיהֶם לְאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת הֲדַר וּפָסְקָה מֵהֶם מַלְכוּת, וְהָרִאשׁוֹנִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְמַעְלָה הֵם שְׁמוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתָם; וְכֵן מְפֹרָשׁ בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים וַיָּמָת הֲדָד וַיִּהְיוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אַלּוּף תִּמְנָע וְגוֹמֵר:
41the chief of the tribe of Oholivamah, the chief of the tribe of Elah, the chief of the tribe of Pinon,   מאאַלּ֧וּף אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֛ה אַלּ֥וּף אֵלָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף פִּינֹֽן:
42the chief of the tribe of Kenaz, the chief of the tribe of Teiman, the chief of the tribe of Mivtzar,   מבאַלּ֥וּף קְנַ֛ז אַלּ֥וּף תֵּימָ֖ן אַלּ֥וּף מִבְצָֽר:
43the chief of the tribe of Magdi’el, and the chief of the tribe of Iram. These are the tribal chiefs of Edom—that is, of Esau, the progenitor of the Edomites—according to their settlements in the lands that they possessed.   מגאַלּ֥וּף מַגְדִּיאֵ֖ל אַלּ֣וּף עִירָ֑ם אֵ֣לֶּה | אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֗וֹם לְמֽשְׁבֹתָם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם ה֥וּא עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֥י אֱדֽוֹם:
מַגְדִּיאֵל - Magdi’el. This is Rome.   מַגְדִּיאֵל.  הִיא רוֹמִי: