Wesley Corpus

Here are, Esau's wives, ver. 1 - 5. His remove to mount Seir, ver. 6 - 8. The names of his sons, ver. 9 - 14. The dukes which descended of his sons, ver. 15 - 19. The dukes of the Horites, ver. 20 - 30. The kings and dukes of Edom, ver. 31 - 43. Who is Edom - That name perpetuated the remembrance of the foolish bargain he made, when he sold his birth - right for that red pottage. Esau had begun to settle among his wife's relations in Seir, before Jacob came from Padan - aram, Ge 32:3. Isaac it is likely, had sent him thither, that Jacob might have the clearer way to the possession of the promised land: yet probably during the life of Isaac, Esau had still some effects remaining in Canaan; but after his death, he wholly withdrew to mount Seir, took with him what came to his share of his father's personal estate, and left Canaan to Jacob, not only because he had the promise of it, but because he saw, if they should both continue to thrive, as they had begun, there would not be room for both. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir - Whatever opposition may be made, God's word will take place, and even those that have opposed it will see themselves, some time or other, under a necessity of yielding to it. Esau had struggled for Canaan, but now he retires to mount Seir; for God's counsels shall certainly stand concerning the times before appointed, and the bounds of our habitation. These are the names - Observe here, That only the names of Esau's sons and grand - sons are recorded: not their history, for it is the church that Moses preserves the records of, not of those that were without. The elders only that lived by faith obtained a good report.