Synopsis of the Chapter
The genealogy of Adam up to Abraham and his descendants is reviewed, especially the Edomites, whose kings and leaders are narrated in verse 35 and following.
Verse 1: Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan... ¶
The first ten chapters contain nothing but genealogies, because the Hebrews were exact in them, both for the distinction of the 12 tribes and on account of Christ, so that it might be established that He was born from Abraham, David, and the tribe of Judah. But because these ten chapters have little practical use, and only list the names of progenitors, I will dispatch them briefly. Note here that the proper names of men and women in this book are often different from the names given to the same persons in Genesis and the other books. The reason is that the Hebrews were polyonymous, and had multiple names. As an example, the sons of Benjamin are named in Genesis chapter XLVI, verse 21, as 'Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard': but here in chapter VIII, verse 1, they are named 'Bela, Ashbel, Ahara, Nohah, Rapha'; and the rest are passed over in silence. Sometimes also the same name is inflected and pronounced differently by the change of one or another letter. Furthermore, not all sons are listed here, but only the more famous and distinguished ones.
1. ADAM, SETH, ENOS, CAINAN, etc. — As if to say: Adam begot Seth, Seth begot Enos, Enos begot Cainan, and so on for the rest whom he adds; for the sake of brevity he omits the word 'begot,' lest he be forced to repeat it for each one; therefore he assigns only the names of those begetting and those begotten.
5. Noah (understand 'begot') SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH — as was said in Genesis chapter VI and following, where I explained all these things.
Verse 32: Keturah, Abraham's Concubine ¶
32. KETURAH, ABRAHAM'S CONCUBINE. — 'Concubine' here means not a mistress, but a secondary wife, who was not the mother of the household: whence her sons did not succeed to the father's inheritance.
Verse 36: Timna, Amalek ¶
36. TIMNA, AMALEK. — Some think that 'Timna' is in the genitive case, because in Genesis chapter XXXVI, verse 12, it is said that Esau begot Amalek from Timna his concubine. But this is a different Timna from the Timna of Genesis; for that one was Esau's concubine, but this one is his daughter or son, as is clear from the Hebrew and the Septuagint, which have 'and Timna, and Amalek.'
Verse 38: The Sons of Seir ¶
38. THE SONS OF SEIR. — This Seir is different from Esau, who was likewise surnamed 'Seir,' that is 'hairy,' because he was hirsute: for Esau was the son of Abraham and Isaac, and his sons, different from these of Seir, were listed in verse 35. This Seir was not from the descendants of Abraham and Isaac, but was a Horite by nation, who occupied Edom before Esau, whose genealogy is given in Genesis XXXVI, 20. He is introduced here only so that the lineage of Timna might be known, from whom Amalek was born.
Verse 43: The Kings of Edom ¶
43. THESE (who follow) ARE THE KINGS WHO REIGNED IN THE LAND OF EDOM — with scepter, diadem, and royal power. Note: Just as the Hebrews first had judges as leaders from Joshua to Saul, then kings from Saul to Zedekiah and the Babylonian captivity, and after it again leaders from Zerubbabel to the Maccabees; so also the Edomites first had chiefs up to Bela, then kings from Bela to the death of the second Hadad, and then again chiefs from Timna to Iram, as is clear from verses 51 and 52.
Verse 44: Bela the First King of Edom ¶
44. BELA, THE FIRST KING OF EDOM, DIED, AND JOBAB THE SON OF ZERAH REIGNED IN HIS PLACE. — At that time, therefore, the kingdom was not hereditary, nor did a son succeed his father in it, but rather he who was more worthy. For Jobab, who was the son of Zerah, not of Bela, succeeded Bela the first king of Edom. This 'Jobab' is 'Job,' the mirror of patience, as I said at Genesis XXXVI, 31. Job therefore was the second king of Edom; his great-great-grandfather Esau had been only a chief of the same; for Esau begot Reuel, Reuel begot Zerah, Zerah begot Jobab, or Job.