The Kings of Edom

Edom's line of kings is listed in sequence before any Israelite king, each one replacing the last and often tied to a city or region. The record gives Edom a deep political history of succession and place.

T³¹hese are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: ³²Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah. ³³When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place. ³⁴When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. ³⁵When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith. ³⁶When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place. ³⁷When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place. ³⁸When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor reigned in his place. ³⁹When Baal-hanan son of Achbor died, Hadad reigned in his place. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab.

After the kings, Esau's chiefs are named again according to their families, regions, and settlements in the land they possess. The chapter ends by tying this settled order back to Esau as father of Edom.

⁴⁰These are the names of Esau’s chiefs, according to their families and regions, by their names: Chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, ⁴¹Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, ⁴²Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, ⁴³Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. Esau was the father of the Edomites.