THE SAME IS EDOM. He is the father of Edom.¹, which I.E., based on verse 9, interprets as, he is the father of Edom (Krinsky). Filwarg interprets it as, both Esau and his descendants are called Edom. Our verse teaches that Esau is Edom and verse 9 (which reads, Esau the father of the Edomites) that Esau’s descendants are called Edom. Do not be surprised that Scripture here calls the daughter of Elon the Hittite whom Esau married Adah, while earlier it refers to her by the name of Basemath (Gen. 26:34), for she had two names.² We find the same with the mother of Abijah.³ Indeed, Abijah himself (II Chron. 11:20) is called Abijam in the Book of Kings (I Kings 15:1) and Abijah in Chronicles (II Chron. 11:20).⁴ The Bible refers to them by two different names because both Abijah and his mother had two names each.

footnotes: ¹ The Hebrew literally reads, he is Edom ² See I.E.’s comments on Gen. 26:34. ³ I Kings 15:2 and II Chron. 11:20 gives her name as Maacah; II Chron. 13:2 gives her name as Micaiah. ⁴ According to Krinsky. For an alternate interpretation see Weiser and Cherez.

These are the names of Esau’s sons (v. 10) refers to his grandchildren.⁵, must refer to his grandchildren. Krinsky suggests that there is a scribal error and that the reference is to And these are the generations of Esau in verse 9.

footnotes: ⁵ Esau’s children are listed in verses 4 and 5, his descendants in verses 10-18. Hence the introduction to this list, viz., These are the names of Esau’s sons

AND OHOLIBAMAH THE DAUGHTER OF ANAH, THE DAUGHTER OF ZIBEON THE HIVITE. We find in our chapter a man called Anah who is the brother of Zibeon (v. 20). We further read that Zibeon had a son called Anah (v. 24). Our verse thus relates that Zibeon and his son Anah, or perhaps Zibeon and his brother Anah, slept with the same woman and the offspring did not know who their father was.⁶ However, it is also possible that Oholibamah was the daughter of Anah the son of Zibeon, and Scripture lists her as being the daughter of Anah and Zibeon in order to distinguish between Anah the son of Zibeon and Anah the brother of Zibeon.⁷ Some say that our chapter speaks of a Korah the son of Adah⁸. Thus Korah must be Adah’s son. and Korah the son of Oholibamah.⁹ However, I believe that both are one and the same person. Korah was the son of Oholibamah. The reason he is listed among the chiefs of Eliphaz¹⁰ is that he lived among them. It is also possible, since he was Oholibamah’s youngest son, that his mother died when he was still a child and that Adah raised him along with her own family and Scripture includes him with her children. Our case is similar to the five sons of Michal (II Sam. 21:8).¹¹. 19b., “Michal bore these five children? Did not Merab give birth to them?” The Talmud answers, “Merab bore them but Michal raised them. Hence they are called her children.” Korah thus became Adah’s son. Scripture similarly says that Amalek was a son of Adah¹². Thus Amalek was the son of Timna, not the son of Adah. because he was the son of the handmaid of her husband.¹³, read her son. Weiser suggests that I.E. had a tradition that Timna was first Esau’s concubine and then Eliphaz’s concubine, hence I.E.’s statement, “concubine of her husband.” The Bible lists Amalek among Adah’s children because Adah helped raise him (Weiser).

footnotes: ⁶ Hence the Bible lists two men, Anah and Zibeon, as being Oholibamah’s father. ⁷ Had Scripture merely said, “Oholibamah daughter of Anah” we would not know which Anah the Bible is talking about. Cherez explains that Scripture could state that Oholibamah was Zibeon’s daughter, when in fact she was his granddaughter because grandchildren are considered children. ⁸ Verses 15 and 16 list the chiefs of the sons of Esau from his wife Adah, among them the chief of Korah ⁹ In verse 14 it is related that Oholibamah bore Korah. Thus our chapter speaks of two Korahs. ¹⁰ Adah’s son. See note 8. ¹¹ The five sons of Michal were really the children of Merab. Cf. San ¹² Verse 16 lists the chief of Amalek among the children of Adah. However, verse 12 states, And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek ¹³ This comment presents a problem. Verse 12 state that Timna was Eliphaz’s concubine, not Esau’s concubine. Cherez posits a scribal error; i.e., in place of her husband

[CHIEF.] The meaning of alluf is a prince or chief. However, this is not the meaning of alluf (docile)¹⁴ as ox. Ke-kheves alluf does not mean like a great sheep, but rather like a lamb or like an ox. in ke-kheves alluf (like a docile lamb) (Jer. 11:19). In the latter verse the caf prefixed to keves (lamb) also pertains to alluf; i.e., the verse is to be read as if written ke-kheves ke-alluf (like a lamb, like an ox). The latter is normal Hebrew usage,¹⁵ in succession, meaning like this or like that. as can be seen in I went about as though it had been my friend (ke-re’a) or my brother (ke-ach) (Ps. 35:14).

footnotes: ¹⁴ I.E. translates alluf ¹⁵ It is normal Hebrew usage to place two cafs

SEIR. We do not know his pedigree. Scripture lists the children of Seir to inform us that they were of a different lineage from the children of Esau. The Bible notes this because Israel was prohibited from contending with the children of Esau.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ Cf. Deut. 2:4-5. This prohibition did not apply to the Seirites. Both nations inhabited the same country. However, the children of Esau displaced them (Deut. 2:22).

THE HORITE. Chori (Horite) means nobles. It is similar to chore (nobles) in the nobles (chore) of Judah (Jer. 27:20).¹⁷ (ha-chori) should be translated: These are the sons of Seir the noble (the chief). It is possible that chori (Horites) comes from the same root as chorai in And they that weave cotton (chorai) (Is. 19:9), in which chorai means white stuff. Onkelos similarly renders white by chivvar.¹⁸ to mean nobles. Nobles are called chorim (the white ones) because they are metaphorically speaking, like the color white,¹⁹ a color which resembles light.²⁰ In contrast to chorim, mean men are called chashukkim (dark ones), as we read in He shall not stand before mean men (chashukkim) (Prov. 22:29).²¹ is the antithesis of kings. Chashukkim comes from the word choshekh (black or dark). We thus see that white is a symbol of nobility, and black of poverty (Cherez) or of non-nobility, of meanness (Weiser).

footnotes: ¹⁷ According to I.E. These are the sons of Seir the Horite ¹⁸ So Cherez. Weiser renders I.E. as follows: the Targum (Jonathan) similarly translates chore ¹⁹ It is the most beautiful color. ²⁰ A symbol of good and purity. ²¹ In Prov. 22:29 chashukkim

AIAH AND ANAH. The vav prefixed to Aiah has the same meaning as the Arabic fa.²² before Aiah. If this vav is a connective vav we should translate: And these are the children of Zibeon and Aiah and Anah. I.E. points out that the vav before Aiah is not to be translated. It is superfluous and is placed for emphasis (Weiser). We have a similar clause without a vav prefixed to Aiah²³. in Chronicles (I Chron. 1:40).

footnotes: ²² The Hebrew has a vav ²³ I Chron. 1:40 reads, And the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah

THE HOT SPRINGS. Onkelos renders yemim (hot springs) mighty men as in The Emim dwelt therein aforetime, a people great, and many, and tall (Deut. 2:10).²⁴ with them. It is possible to compare the two because we find the yod and alef interchanging²⁵ equals emim. Nachmanides explains that Onkelos held that Anah was attacked by Emem, who wanted to rob his father’s asses, and overcame them. Thus he found the Emim in the wilderness as he fed the asses of Zibeon, his father. as with the word yityammeru (bear themselves loftily) (Ps. 94:4).²⁶ (shall ye revel) (Is. 61:6). Either we have a scribal error (Krinsky) and what I.E. is saying is that tityammaru could have been written titammeru since Ps. 94:4 employs the term yitammeru (bear themselves loftily), or I.E. is saying that Ps. 94:4 could have read yityammeru since Is. 61:6 reads tityammaru (Weiser). Spelled with a yod or an alef it means to exalt. However, Saadiah Gaon translates yemim as mules. He interprets who found to mean who crossbred.²⁷ 8:5. It is also possible that who found means who first discovered the technique of crossbreeding, since two different species cannot produce offspring.²⁸ The latter interpretation is substantiated by Scripture’s stating, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.²⁹ If the meaning of yemim is plants, as is maintained by many commentators, why should Scripture mention as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father?³⁰) in the desert, what need is there to tell us that he did this as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father?

footnotes: ²⁴ The Emim were mighty men. Onkelos identifies the Yemin ²⁵ Hence yemim ²⁶ There is no such word in Scripture. However, we do find tityammaru ²⁷ He crossbred a horse and an ass and “found” mules. This is also the opinion of the Talmud. Cf. Jerusalem Talmud, Berakhot ²⁸ Hence crossbreeding was a new discovery. ²⁹ Since he was occupied with taking care of the asses, he experimented and discovered this technique. ³⁰ If the Bible wants to tell us that Anah found a certain type of plant (yemim

AND THESE ARE THE CHILDREN OF ANAH: DISHON AND OHOLIBAMAH THE DAUGHTER OF ANAH. Anah the father of Oholibamah is not the same Anah mentioned in the first part of our verse,³¹ because if he is, there would be no need to mention him again. He is rather to be identified with the Anah mentioned in the preceding verse.³²

footnotes: ³¹ If they are one and the same person Scripture should have read: And these are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah. ³² Anah the son of Zibeon mentioned in verse 24. The Anah mentioned in the first part of our verse is Anah the brother of Zibeon mentioned in verse 20. Thus Oholibamah was Zibeon’s granddaughter (Krinsky). Cf. I.E.’s comments on verse 2.

AND THESE ARE THE KINGS. Some say that this chapter records a prophecy.³³. Saul was Israel’s first king. Thus our chapter appears to deal with the post Mosaic period. These commentaries explain that Moses wrote our chapter as prophecy. However, Yitzchaki³⁴ claims in his book that this chapter was composed during the reign of King Jehoshaphat.³⁵ He explained the generations as he saw fit. Was he not rightly named Yitzchak?³⁶ Everyone that heareth his interpretation will laugh at him.³⁷ For he identified Hadar (v. 39) with Hadad the Edomite (I Kings 11:14)³⁸ and also said that Mehetabel (v. 39) is to be identified with the sister of Tahpenes the queen of Egypt.³⁹ Far be it for one to believe that our chapter was written in the days of Jehoshaphat as Yitzchaki maintains. Indeed his book is fit to be burned. Why did Yitzchaki maintain that it is impossible for eight Edomite kings to have reigned before Moses⁴⁰ 13a). We thus subtract 17 from 210 and we get 193 (Cherez). when we find double the number of kings in Israel in about the same number of years?⁴¹., v. 13). Thus Israel had 16 kings in 241 years. Why, then, is it so hard to believe that eight Edomite kings reigned in 193 years (Krinsky)? Cherez explains that the first 16 kings of Israel reigned 210 years. Thus Israel had 16 kings in 210 years. Furthermore, there were also proportionally many more kings of Judah in the same time period than the eight Edomite kings who reigned till the age of Moses.⁴² The truth is that king, in before there reigned any king over the children of Israel, refers to Moses who was king over Israel, and so it is written, And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5).

footnotes: ³³ Our verse reads, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel ³⁴ Some identify him with Isaac ben Solomon Israeli (c. 850-950). He was a philosopher, Biblical commentator and court physician to the caliphs in Egypt and Kairouan. ³⁵ A ninth-century king of Judah. Jehoshaphat was the eighth Hebrew king to reign starting from Saul. In his days the Edomites no longer had kings for they were subject to Judah. This is the reason that once the eighth Hebrew king ascended the throne it was written that the Edomites, too, had eight kings. ³⁶ A play on Gen. 27:36. ³⁷ A play on Gen. 21:6. ³⁸ A contemporary of King Solomon. ³⁹ Pharaoh gave his wife Tahpenes’ sister to Hadad in marriage. ⁴⁰ Yitchaki claimed that there were too few years between the establishment of the Edomite kingdom and Moses for eight Edomite kings to reign, for from Esau’s death, when the Edomite kingdom was established, until the Revelation at Sinai, when Moses reigned, only 193 years passed. The computation of the 193 years is as follows: The Israelites spent 210 years in Egypt, starting with Jacob’s descent to Egypt. Jacob lived there 17 years before he died. Esau died on the very day that Jacob did (Sotah ⁴¹ The kingdom of Israel lasted for 241 years during which time Israel had 19 kings (Krinsky). I.E. says that Israel had double the number of kings of the Edomites. Either he uses a round number or does not count Zimri (I Kings 16:15) who reigned seven days; Zechariah (II Kings 15:8) who reigned six months; and Shallum who reigned a month (Ibid ⁴² Judah had 21 kings in 500 years (Krinsky). Hence why couldn’t the Edomites have eight kings in 193 years.

AND BELA THE SON OF BEOR. Bela is not to be identified with Balaam the son of Beor,⁴³ to Bela spells Baalam. Because of this and their father having the same name, some consider them to be the same. Cf. Targum Jonathan on this verse. and neither is Baalam the son of Laban the Aramean.⁴⁴ 105a. The Midrash which states that Baalam is the son of Laban is probably based on the fact that both were sorcerers⁴⁵ because “none of the words of our sages of blessed memory ever fall to the ground.”⁴⁶ We cannot identify Baalam with Bela because Bela was an Edomite and Baalam an Aramean.⁴⁷ We are also not to identify Jobab the son of Zerah (v. 33) with Job, as Yitzchaki⁴⁸ the windbag does.

footnotes: ⁴³ Cf. Num. 22:5. Adding a mem ⁴⁴ The rabbis identify Beor with Laban. Cf. Sanhedrin ⁴⁵ So Cherez. The point is that since Baalam was a sorcerer and Laban was one, too, Balaam was a “son” (spiritual not actual) of Laban. For an alternate interpretation see Krinsky. ⁴⁶ A paraphrase of I Sam. 3:19. ⁴⁷ According to Cherez. ⁴⁸ This is the same Yitzchaki mentioned in I.E.’s comments on verse 31 (Weiser).

MEHETABEL THE DAUGHTER OF MATRED, THE DAUGHTER OF ME-ZAHAB. This is to be explained⁴⁹ in the same manner as we interpret Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon (v. 2).⁵⁰ On the other hand Scripture may be listing Mehetabel’s mother and father.⁵¹

footnotes: ⁴⁹ Scripture lists her as having two fathers, Metrad and Me-zahab. ⁵⁰ See I.E.’s comments on verse 2. Metrad was her father and Me-zahab her grandfather (Krinsky). ⁵¹ I.E. does not identify which one was the father and which one the mother (Krinsky).

ME-ZAHAB. This was his name.⁵² However, Saadiah Gaon says that Me-Zahab means a goldsmith.⁵³ Others say Me-zahab alludes to those who make gold out of copper.⁵⁴ However, the latter is sheer nonsense.⁵⁵

footnotes: ⁵² That is, Me-zahab is a proper name. ⁵³ Our verse should thus be rendered: Mehetabel the daughter of Matred, the daughter of a goldsmith. Cf. Onkelos. ⁵⁴ That is, Me-zahab means an alchemist. ⁵⁵ The interpretation is nonsense (Cherez) or the belief in alchemy is nonsense (Krinsky).

[AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHIEFS THAT CAME OF ESAU…AFTER THEIR PLACES] This means that their territories are well-known today (in the days of Moses). These are the words of Moses.⁵⁶ adds that the 11 chiefs of Edom (enumerated in verses 40-43) are now ruling each in his own territory. Those now mentioned are the offspring of the chiefs mentioned above.⁵⁷ Only those that had their own territories are mentioned.⁵⁸

footnotes: ⁵⁶ That is, verses 40-43. Until now Moses reported what had been Divinely revealed to him concerning Edom’s past. In verses 40-43 he turns to his own generation and in his own words ⁵⁷ Verses 15-18 (Cherez). ⁵⁸ In verses 15-18, 14 chiefs are mentioned. In verses 40-43, 11 chiefs are mentioned. The names in verses 40-43 are not the same as those in 15-18. Hence I.E. points out that they were their sons. To explain why only 11 are mentioned in 40-43, I.E. posits that only those with a territory of their own are mentioned. After the death of the 14 mentioned in 15-18 their sons, mentioned in 40-43, became chiefs. Another possibility is that after the 14 mentioned above died, eight kings reigned and then the 11 mentioned in 40-43 became chiefs (Cherez). If the latter is correct, then when I.E. says that those in 40-43 are the offspring of those in 15-18 he means their descendants.

TIMNA. Here it refers to a male.⁵⁹ was a male. Hence Timna can be either a male or female name. For we have many names which are used both for male and females. The same holds true for Oholibamah.⁶⁰ was a male. It is also possible that the word chief is superfluous,⁶¹ refers to the word chief prefixed to Alvah and Jetheth. The verse should thus be read: the chief of Timna, Alvah and Jetheth. The same applies to Oholibamah (Krinsky) or the word chief prefixed to Timna is superfluous. The verse should be read: Timna, the chief of Alva, the chief of Jetheth. The same applies to Oholibamah (Weiser). the interpretation of the chief of Timna, the chief of Alvah, the chief Jetheth being, the following are the chiefs of Timna, Eliphaz’s concubine, Alvah and Jetheth. Alvah and Jetheth were chiefs of Amelek.⁶² (v. 12). Hence the chiefs of Timna, Alvah and Jetheth were chiefs of Amalek. There were seven chiefs of Oholibamah in the day of Moses. Each of these chiefs had his own territory. Hence Moses was explicit and added, according to their habitations.⁶³

footnotes: ⁵⁹ Timna was the name of Eliphaz’s concubine (v. 12); hence it is a female name. However, the chief of Timna ⁶⁰ Oholibamah was the name of one of Esau’s wives (v. 2). Hence it is a female name. However, the chief of Oholibamah ⁶¹ That is, Timna is a female name and refers to Timna, Eliphaz’s concubine. The superfluous chief ⁶² Timna bore to Eliphaz Amalek ⁶³ Each of these chiefs had territories which bore their names and this was noted by Moses.