אֵ֤לֶּה בְנֵֽי־שֵׂעִיר֙ הַחֹרִ֔י יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ לוֹטָ֥ן וְשׁוֹבָ֖ל וְצִבְע֥וֹן וַעֲנָֽה׃

These are the sons of Se’ir the Horite, the original inhabitants of the land. Alongside the Edomite rulers, the native rulers retained a measure of authority: Lotan, Shoval, Tzivon, Ana,

וְדִשׁ֥וֹן וְאֵ֖צֶר וְדִישָׁ֑ן אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֧י הַחֹרִ֛י בְּנֵ֥י שֵׂעִ֖יר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֱדֽוֹם׃

Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chieftains of the Horites, sons of Se’ir in the land of Edom. This is referring either to actual Horite chieftains who retained their chiefdom to some degree after Esau’s family came into power, or to Edomite chieftains who adopted this title from the Horites.

וַיִּהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־לוֹטָ֖ן חֹרִ֣י וְהֵימָ֑ם וַאֲח֥וֹת לוֹטָ֖ן תִּמְנָֽע׃

The children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna, the concubine of Elifaz, son of Esau (verse 12). Timna, Amalek’s mother, is one of the few women mentioned in this section.

וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י שׁוֹבָ֔ל עַלְוָ֥ן וּמָנַ֖חַת וְעֵיבָ֑ל שְׁפ֖וֹ וְאוֹנָֽם׃

And these are the children of Shoval: Alvan, and Manahat, and Eval, Shepho, and Onam.

וְאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־צִבְע֖וֹן וְאַיָּ֣ה וַעֲנָ֑ה ה֣וּא עֲנָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָצָ֤א אֶת־הַיֵּמִם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בִּרְעֹת֥וֹ אֶת־הַחֲמֹרִ֖ים לְצִבְע֥וֹן אָבִֽיו׃

And these are the children of Tzivon: Aya and Ana; he is Ana, who found the Yemim in the wilderness. The word yemim is either the name of a nation that descended from primeval giants, or it means mules. As he was herding the donkeys of Tzivon his father. The significance of this incident depends on the interpretation of the word yemim. If Yemim are giants, the likely explanation is that they tried to steal the donkeys, and Ana stood up to them bravely, for which he became renowned. If they are mules, the statement that Ana found the yemim means that he invented them by crossbreeding donkeys and horses, either intentionally or by accident. The verse notes that this happened while he was herding donkeys.

וְאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־עֲנָ֖ה דִּשֹׁ֑ן וְאָהֳלִיבָמָ֖ה בַּת־עֲנָֽה׃

And these are the children of Ana: Dishon and a girl, Oholivama, daughter of Ana. She is mentioned because she was Esau’s wife.

וְאֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י דִישָׁ֑ן חֶמְדָּ֥ן וְאֶשְׁבָּ֖ן וְיִתְרָ֥ן וּכְרָֽן׃

And these are the children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Yitran, and Keran.

אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־אֵ֑צֶר בִּלְהָ֥ן וְזַעֲוָ֖ן וַעֲקָֽן׃

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

אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־דִישָׁ֖ן ע֥וּץ וַאֲרָֽן׃

These are the children of Dishan: Utz and Aran. The name Utz also appears in the list of the sons of Aram (10:23). Consequently, it is uncertain whether the land of Utz belonged to the Arameans or Edomites.

אֵ֖לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֣י הַחֹרִ֑י אַלּ֤וּף לוֹטָן֙ אַלּ֣וּף שׁוֹבָ֔ל אַלּ֥וּף צִבְע֖וֹן אַלּ֥וּף עֲנָֽה׃

These are the chieftains of the Horites: the chieftain of Lotan, the chieftain of Shoval, the chieftain of Tzivon, the chieftain of Ana,

אַלּ֥וּף דִּשֹׁ֛ן אַלּ֥וּף אֵ֖צֶר אַלּ֣וּף דִּישָׁ֑ן אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֧י הַחֹרִ֛י לְאַלֻּפֵיהֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שֵׂעִֽיר׃ (פ)

the chieftain of Dishon, the chieftain of Ezer, the chieftain of Dishan; these are the chieftains of the Horites, according to their chieftains in the land of Se’ir.

וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלְכ֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם לִפְנֵ֥י מְלָךְ־מֶ֖לֶךְ לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Thus far, the chapter has listed the chieftains of the Edomite and Horite tribes. When kings began to rule in Edom, the system of government became more centralized. And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before the reign of a king for the children of Israel. During the years when Esau’s descendants developed as an independent nation with a central government, Jacob’s children were in exile in Egypt and could not appoint a king over themselves. It is possible that the Israelite king to which the verse alludes is Moses, who led the entire Jewish nation. It is similarly stated: “He became king in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people were assembled, the tribes of Israel together.”

וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ בֶּאֱד֔וֹם בֶּ֖לַע בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ דִּנְהָֽבָה׃

Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom. Due to the similarity between their names, some commentaries identify this ruler with Bilam son of Beor. However, the context and chronology suggest otherwise. And the name of his city was Dinhava. The mention of these kings’ cities indicates that they did not inherit the throne from one another, in the manner of a dynasty.

וַיָּ֖מָת בָּ֑לַע וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו יוֹבָ֥ב בֶּן־זֶ֖רַח מִבָּצְרָֽה׃

Bela died, and Yovav son of Zerah, of Botzra, another city in Edom, reigned in his stead.

וַיָּ֖מָת יוֹבָ֑ב וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו חֻשָׁ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ הַתֵּימָנִֽי׃

Yovav died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. Teman was one of the Edomite chieftains mentioned above (verse 15).

וַיָּ֖מָת חֻשָׁ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ תַּחְתָּ֜יו הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־בְּדַ֗ד הַמַּכֶּ֤ה אֶת־מִדְיָן֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ עֲוִֽית׃

Husham died, and Hadad son of Bedad, who had one notable accomplishment in that he smote Midyan, a mainly nomadic tribe that had settled temporarily near Edom and Moav, in the field of Moav, was the king who reigned in his stead. And the name of his city was Avit.

וַיָּ֖מָת הֲדָ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו שַׂמְלָ֖ה מִמַּשְׂרֵקָֽה׃

Hadad died, and Samla of Masreka reigned in his stead.

וַיָּ֖מָת שַׂמְלָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו שָׁא֖וּל מֵרְחֹב֥וֹת הַנָּהָֽר׃

Samla died, and Shaul of Rehovot on the Euphrates river reigned in his stead.

וַיָּ֖מָת שָׁא֑וּל וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו בַּ֥עַל חָנָ֖ן בֶּן־עַכְבּֽוֹר׃

Shaul died, and Baal Hanan son of Akhbor reigned in his stead.

וַיָּמָת֮ בַּ֣עַל חָנָ֣ן בֶּן־עַכְבּוֹר֒ וַיִּמְלֹ֤ךְ תַּחְתָּיו֙ הֲדַ֔ר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ פָּ֑עוּ וְשֵׁ֨ם אִשְׁתּ֤וֹ מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵל֙ בַּת־מַטְרֵ֔ד בַּ֖ת מֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃

And Baal Hanan son of Akhbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead, and the name of the city was Pa’u; and his wife’s name was Mehetavel, daughter of Matred, daughter of Mei Zahav. It is unclear why the name of his wife and her lineage are mentioned here. Mei Zahav is either simply a name without any particular significance, a title meaning goldsmith, or an epithet for a very rich person. Perhaps the wealth of Mehetavel’s grandfather enabled Hadad to stabilize his reign.

וְ֠אֵלֶּה שְׁמ֞וֹת אַלּוּפֵ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לִמְקֹמֹתָ֖ם בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם אַלּ֥וּף תִּמְנָ֛ע אַלּ֥וּף עַֽלְוָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף יְתֵֽת׃

And these are the names of the chieftains of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names, as the chieftains of Esau’s descendants ruled in different areas. The chieftain of Timna, the chieftain of Alva, the chieftain of Yetet. Some of these names were already mentioned above, but there are some differences here. For example, the name Timna did not appear earlier as a man’s name.

אַלּ֧וּף אָהֳלִיבָמָ֛ה אַלּ֥וּף אֵלָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף פִּינֹֽן׃

The chieftain of Oholivama; although this is the name of one of Esau’s wives, perhaps the entire tribe or its chieftain was named after her. The chieftain of Ela, the chieftain of Pinon,

אַלּ֥וּף קְנַ֛ז אַלּ֥וּף תֵּימָ֖ן אַלּ֥וּף מִבְצָֽר׃

the chieftain of Kenaz, the chieftain of Teman, the chieftain of Mivtzar,

אַלּ֥וּף מַגְדִּיאֵ֖ל אַלּ֣וּף עִירָ֑ם אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֗וֹם לְמֹֽשְׁבֹתָם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם ה֥וּא עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֥י אֱדֽוֹם׃ (פ)

the chieftain of Magdiel, the chieftain of Iram. These are the chieftains of Edom, according to their settlements in their apportioned land. He is Esau, father of Edom.