These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is a profound, almost jarring, comparison: it lists the kings of Edom, Esau's descendants, before any king ever ruled Israel. It highlights how, even before Israel had a unified kingdom, Esau's lineage had already established their own kings, subtly reminding us of God's promises playing out in unexpected ways and places.
These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage concludes the account of Esau's descendants, the Edomites, detailing their genealogy and, importantly, their pre-Israelite kings. It emphasizes that before Israel established its own monarchy, Edom already had a structured, royal system in place, highlighting a significant difference in their national development at that point in history.
This verse pauses the story of Jacob's descendants to look at Esau's. Why does Moses include this list of Edomite kings right here?
Genesis 36:31 is a pivotal statement that bridges the patriarchal era with the future of Israel. It records the kings of Edom before Israel had a king.
A Prophetic Glimpse
While Jacob's line is focused on the promises of God, the narrative doesn't ignore Esau's descendants. Moses, inspired by God, knew that kings would eventually arise from both Isaac’s sons (Genesis 27:29). This mention of Edomite kings served as a confirmation of the blessing pronounced on Esau, showing that God's promises had a tangible fulfillment in his lineage too, even if it wasn't the primary line of spiritual inheritance.
Timing is Everything
The phrase "before there reigned any king over the children of Israel" is significant. It establishes a timeline. At the time Moses is writing (or, as some scholars suggest, the text was compiled), Israel did not yet have a king. This anticipates the future establishment of the monarchy in Israel, a key part of their national identity and God's plan, while highlighting that Edom had already developed a more formal, unified kingship structure.
This list of kings isn't just a historical footnote; it reveals something about the development of Edom as a nation.
The record of Edomite kings in Genesis 36 predates Israel's monarchy and offers insight into their political structure.
Beyond Tribal Leadership
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While Esau's sons are initially described as 'dukes' (Genesis 36:15-19), this later section details a succession of kings. This indicates a move from a tribal, chief-led society to a more centralized, monarchical form of government.
An Elective Succession?
Interestingly, the list doesn't show a clear hereditary succession; sons don't automatically follow their fathers. This suggests that the Edomite kingship might have been elective, perhaps chosen by the dukes or tribal leaders. This form of rule, while different from the later hereditary monarchy of Israel, still represented a significant level of organized governance that preceded Israel's own establishment of a single, unified kingdom.
Understand the original words
melek · Hebrew Noun
A high-ranking political or military leader who exercises sovereign authority over a territory or people. In the biblical context, it often denotes someone who holds judicial, administrative, and military responsibility, sometimes functioning as an instrument of divine sovereignty or human rebellion.
Edôm · Hebrew Noun
A geopolitical region inhabited by the descendants of Esau (Edom). It carries theological significance as the brother-nation to Israel, often representing a history of conflict and distinct covenants despite their shared ancestry.
Yisra'ēl · Hebrew Noun
The tribal and covenantal name for the descendants of Jacob. It signifies the people set apart by God through his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, serving as the central focus of redemptive history.
mālak · Hebrew Verb
To exercise authority and rule over a realm or people; to occupy a position of sovereign power or dominion. Biblically, it emphasizes the exercise of power on earth and, ultimately, the submission of all earthly authority to the rule of God.
This passage highlights that the Edomites, descendants of Esau, had developed a form of kingship before the Israelites, who were still a tribal people. It underscores the long-standing relationship and occasional tension between these two related peoples, with Edom often appearing as a more established political entity in the early historical narratives.
c. 1800 BC
Esau settles in Mount Seir
Esau, driven by a growing population and resource scarcity in Canaan, relocates his family to Mount Seir, establishing a distinct territory from his brother Jacob.
c. 1700 BC - 1400 BC
Horites inhabit Edom
The descendants of Seir, known as Horites, inhabit Mount Seir, the region where Esau's descendants eventually establish themselves.
c. 1400 BC
Edomite dukes emerge
The descendants of Esau, organized into 'dukes' or chieftains, govern various regions within the land of Edom, reflecting a tribal structure.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Edomite kings reign
Before any king ruled over Israel, a succession of eight kings governed the land of Edom. Their rule predates the Israelite monarchy, though the exact nature of their succession and the extent of their authority are debated.
c. 1400 BC
Israel's patriarchal period
During this time, the Israelite tribes are in their formative stages, led by patriarchs and tribal leaders, with a monarchy not yet established.
c. 1300 BC
Moses' leadership of Israel
Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness, during which time Edom is described as having a king, and Israel is still without one.
This passage directly references the 'dukes of Edom' as the people encountered by the Israelites after their exodus, highlighting the long-standing presence and distinct political entities within Edom even before Israel had a unified monarchy.
Numbers 20:14Here, Moses is directly addressing a 'king of Edom,' showing that by the time Israel reached the borders of Edom, a king had indeed risen to power, thus placing the Genesis account of pre-Israelite kings in a historical context.
Deuteronomy 17:14This verse reveals that Moses, the author of Genesis, foresaw and legislated for a future Israelite monarchy, demonstrating that his mention of Edomite kings 'before any king reigned over Israel' was not an anachronism but a prophetic statement.
1 Chronicles 1:43This passage offers a parallel list of the same Edomite kings, suggesting a shared historical tradition and reinforcing the significance of Edom's established, even if non-hereditary, kingship prior to Israel's.
Romans 9:11-13This New Testament passage contrasts Jacob and Esau, noting God's choice not based on birthright but on His own purpose, which indirectly illuminates why Genesis records Esau's lineage and political structures as a backdrop to God's sovereign plan for Israel.
calvinGenesis 36:1-43: "Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom."
And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
Et accepit Esau uxores suas, et filios suos, et filias suas, et omnes animas domus suae, et pecudes suas, et omnia jumenta sua, et omnem acquisitionem suam, quam acquis…
pooleGenesis 36:31: "And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel."
He speaks of the posterity of Esau, who after they had subdued the Horites, erected a kingdom there. Here profane wits triumph. How, say they, could Moses write this, when as yet there was no king in Israel? Answ. 1. The word may be taken for any chief governor, in which sense the title of king is given to Moses, Deu 33:5 ; and to the judges, Judges 17:6 ; and to…
This verse is a profound, almost jarring, comparison: it lists the kings of Edom, Esau's descendants, before any king ever ruled Israel. It highlights how, even before Israel had a unified kingdom, Esau's lineage had already established their own kings, subtly reminding us of God's promises playing out in unexpected ways and places.
This passage concludes the account of Esau's descendants, the Edomites, detailing their genealogy and, importantly, their pre-Israelite kings. It emphasizes that before Israel established its own monarchy, Edom already had a structured, royal system in place, highlighting a significant difference in their national development at that point in history.
This passage concludes the account of Esau's descendants, the Edomites, detailing their genealogy and, importantly, their pre-Israelite kings. It emphasizes that before Israel established its own monarchy, Edom already had a structured, royal system in place, highlighting a significant difference in their national development at that point in history.
"These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites." — This verse is a profound, almost jarring, comparison: it lists the kings of Edom, Esau's descendants, before any king ever ruled Israel. It highlights how, even before Israel had a unified kingdom,…
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Last reviewed October 2026