## Sforno on Genesis Chapter 36

###### Sforno on Genesis 36:1:1
[Sforno on Genesis 36:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:1:1)

**אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת.** עִנְיָנָיו וּמִקְרָיו, כְּעִנְיַן "מַה יֵּלֶד יוֹם" (משלי כז:א).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואלה תולדות, a reference to developments in the clan started by Esau, both in people, possessions and political influence. The word תולדות in this context is analogous to “מה ילד היום,” “what the day brings.” (Proverbs 27,1)


###### Sforno on Genesis 36:1:2
[Sforno on Genesis 36:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:1:2)

**עֵשָׂו הוּא אֱדוֹם.** לְעוֹלָם נִבְהָל לְהוֹן תַּאֲווֹתָיו הַנִּפְסָדוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה בְּיוֹם שֶׁנִּקְרָא אָדוֹם, שֶׁבִּהְיוֹתוֹ עָיֵף בַּעֲסָקָיו הָרָעִים לֹא הִכִּיר הָעֲדָשִׁים לְהַזְכִּירָם בִּשְׁמָם (בראשית כה:ל).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
עשו הוא אדום, someone always addicted to realise all his material desires, satiate his lust. [the author interprets this as the justification for the Torah repeating this information which we had been given in already 25,30. Ed.] The overpowering desire of Esau for what attracted his eye was demonstrated when he could not remember the name “lentils” when he was tired, demanding to be given from “this red, red stuff.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 36:2:1
[Sforno on Genesis 36:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:2:1)

**אֶת אָהֳלִיבָמָה בַּת עֲנָה.** הִיא הָיְתָה מִבְּנֵי שֵׂעִיר הַחוֹרִי, וְעַל יָדָהּ הָלַךְ עֵשָׂו לְאֶרֶץ שֵׂעִיר, כְּאָמְרוֹ **וַיֵּשֶׁב עֵשָׂו בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר**, וּבָנָיו אַחֲרָיו הִשְׁמִידוּ אֶת הַחוֹרִי, כְּאָמְרוֹ "כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁמִיד אֶת הַחוֹרִי מִפְּנֵיהֶם" (דברים ב:יב), וְלָזֶה חָזַר וְאָמַר **וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת עֵשָׂו אֲבִי אֱדוֹם בְּהַר שֵׂעִיר**. וּמָנָה הָאַלּוּפִים כִּי בָנָיו אַחֲרָיו הָיוּ שֶׁכָּבְשׁוּ, וְנַעֲשֵׂית תִּמְנַע פִּילֶגֶשׁ, וְנַעֲשׂוּ תּוֹלְדוֹת עֵשָׂו אַלּוּפִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואת אהליבמה בת ענה. She was a member of the tribe of the Chori. She became Esau’s entry card to the whole region of Mount Seir. This is why the Torah reports already in verse 8 that Esau now settled in Mount Seir. His own children and grandchildren subsequently wiped out all the other members of that tribe that had not intermarried with his descendants. This is the reason why the Torah repeats in verse 9 ואלה תולדות עשו אבי אדום בהר שעיר, to inform us obliquely that in the interval Esau had conquered all these people and that Timna became his son’s concubine. Esau’s descendants now became אלופים, “great chiefs.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 36:12:1
[Sforno on Genesis 36:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:12:1)

**וְתִמְנַע הָיְתָה פִילֶגֶשׁ.** שֶׁהָיָה אֱלִיפַז מֵהַכּוֹבְשִׁים אֶת הָאָרֶץ, וְלָקַח אֶת תִּמְנַע אֲחוֹת הָאַלּוּפִים, וְכָבַשׁ אוֹתָהּ לְפִילֶגֶשׁ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותמנע היתה פלגש, Eliphaz was one of the conquerors of that land and Timna a sister of the אלופים of the original inhabitants of the region fell to him as a conquest and became his concubine.


###### Sforno on Genesis 36:20:1
[Sforno on Genesis 36:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:20:1)

**אֵלֶּה בְנֵי שֵׂעִיר הַחֹרִי.** הִזְכִּיר בְּשֵׁם הַגִּבּוֹרִים שֶׁהָיוּ אָז אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הִשְׁמִידוּם בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו בִּרְצוֹן הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּאָמְרוֹ "כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר וְכוּ'" (דברים ב:כב):

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אלה בני שעיר החורי, the reason the Torah lists the outstanding people of that region is to show that Esau overpowered them in spite of their prowess. Obviously, this must have been G’d’s will, as the Torah testifies in Deuteronomy 2,22 כאשר עשה לבני עשו היושבים בשעיר, “as He did on behalf of the sons of Esau who are now living in Seir.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 36:31:1
[Sforno on Genesis 36:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:31:1)

**וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים.** הוֹדִיעַ שֶׁהֻצְרְכוּ לְהַמְלִיךְ אֲנָשִׁים נָכְרִים מִבְּלִי אֵין בֵּינֵיהֶם רָאוּי לִמְלוֹךְ, וְשֶׁאֵין מַעֲמִידִים מֶלֶךְ בֶּן מֶלֶךְ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואלה המלכים, the Torah informs us that the Edomites had to appoint outsiders, members of other tribes, as their kings, seeing that they did not find a suitable personage for such a task among their own. Not only that, but none of the kings whom they did appoint raised a son fit to take over the position of king from his father.


###### Sforno on Genesis 36:31:2
[Sforno on Genesis 36:31:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:31:2)

**לִפְנֵי מְלׇךְ מֶלֶךְ.** קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּמְלוֹךְ מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמִצְוַת הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּאָמְרוֹ "וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות ו:כג), עַל דֶּרֶךְ "וְצִוְּךָ לְנָגִיד" (שמואל א כה:ל). אָמְנָם כְּשֶׁמֶּלֶךְ מָלַךְ, חָדְלָה מַלְכוּת עֵשָׂו וְהָיוּ לוֹ אַלּוּפִים, כְּעִנְיַן "וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ" (בראשית כה:כג).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**Before any king reigned.** Before Moshe reigned over them.


###### Sforno on Genesis 36:40:1
[Sforno on Genesis 36:40:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/36:40:1)

**וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו... לִמְקֹמֹתָם בִּשְׁמֹתָם.** שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ חֲשׁוּבִים לְהִקָּרֵא בִּשְׁמָם, רַק עַל שֵׁם מְקוֹמָם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואלה שמות אלופי עשו, the significance of the additional words למקומותם בשמותם may be that they were not distinguished enough to be recorded by their individual names, but only in association with the location where they practiced their authority.