Day 13 - A bunch of names

And here we come today to the first real section that many of us are tempted to skim. Why the list of names? Why such painstaking detail?

This is the conclusion to the part of Esau through the book of Genesis. What we have is a tracing of his movement to Edom and why, his lineage and the structure (even of kings) that come from his line. It is the fulfillment of the promise of God to Rebekah when Esau and Jacob were born:

Two nations are in your womb,

and two people from within you shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other,

the older shall serve the younger. (25:23 - ESV)

A new stage in the story is about to be introduced (the life of Joseph). This chapter serves as an ending to the story of Esau (not completely, but for now) and paves the way for the focus on Jacob’s sons.

Here is what Calvin wrote in his commentary on this chapter: “Though Esau was an alien from the Church in the sight of God; yet since he also, as a son of Isaac, was favoured with a temporal blessing, Moses celebrates his race, and inscribes a sufficiently lengthened catalogue of the people born from him. This commemoration, however, resembles an honourable sepulture. For although Esau, with his posterity, took the precedence; yet this dignity was like a bubble, which is comprised under the figure of the world, and which quickly perishes. As, therefore, it has been before said of other profane nations, so now Esau is exalted as on a lofty theatre. But since there is no permanent condition out of the kingdom of God, the splendour attributed to him is evanescent, and the whole of his pomp departs like the passing scene of the stage. The Holy Spirit designed, indeed, to testify that the prophecy which Isaac uttered concerning Esau was not vain; but he has no sooner shown its effect, than he turns away our eyes, as if he had cast a veil over it, that we may confine our attention to the race of Jacob.”

Calvin, J., & King, J. (2010). Commentary on the First Book of Moses Called Genesis (Vol. 2, p. 252). Logos Bible Software.