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1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh,

2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,

3 Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,

4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

5 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

6 And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

7 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

8 The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

9 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.

11 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

12 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim.

13 And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth,

14 The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,

15 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

16 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.

17 The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.

18 And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.

19 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan.

20 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,

21 Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,

22 And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

23 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,

25 Eber, Peleg, Reu,

26 Serug, Nahor, Terah,

27 Abram; the same is Abraham.

28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.

29 These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

30 Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,

31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.

32 Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.

33 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.

34 And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.

35 The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.

36 The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.

37 The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

38 And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.

39 And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.

40 The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. and the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.

41 The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.

42 The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran.

43 Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.

46 And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.

47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.

48 And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.

49 And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.

50 And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

51 Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth,

52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,

53 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,

54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.

<html><b>Adam, Seth, Enosh</b> Ezra wrote this book of genealogy through Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi during the eighteen years from the name that Zerubbabel and Joshua the Priest came to Jerusalem in the days of Cyrus I until Cyrus the son of Esther came. All of this [book] is for the [purpose of tracing the] lineage of King David and the Levites for gate sentries, guards, and singers, how David stationed them in their positions, and the priests in their watches. Therefore, he traced their lineage from Adam to Abraham, and since he had to trace Abraham’s lineage, he mentioned also the rest of the nations, his sons and his grandsons, and because of his sons, he had to trace the lineage of the rest of the nations, the sons of Canaan, to let [us] know how Abraham inherited their land. And since he had to mention and trace the lineage of the generations of Canaan, he mentioned together with them (the generations of) the rest of the nations, but he mentions them only briefly and casts them away until he reaches the main ones, as is explained in <i>Genesis Rabbah</i> (39:10) (See also <i>Tanhuma Veyesheb</i> 1). This can be compared to a king who was traveling from place to place and dropped a pearl. The king stood and sifted the sand with a sieve until he found the pearl. So said the Holy One, blessed be He, “Why should I trace the lineage of Shem and Arpachshad and Terach except to find Abraham?” [As it is written] (Neh. 9:8): “… and You found his heart faithful [before You].” And because of the honor of Isaac, he traced the lineage of the sons of Esau and Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, and he cast them away little by little and left them. He mentions the sons of Seir because the sons of Esau inherited them [i.e., their territory]; he also traces the lineage of Timna, who became a concubine to the seed of Abraham, to let us know the praise of Abraham, for she was the daughter of princes and chiefs and wished to be a concubine to the seed of Abraham, as it is written (Gen. 36:22): “… and Lotan’s sister was Timna,” and it is written (ibid. 12): “And Timna was a concubine to Eliphaz the son of Esau,” because she said, “If I am not worthy to marry him, I shall be his concubine.” (<i>Gen. Rabbah</i> 84: 14, <i>Sanh.</i> 99b) Moreover, for this reason, he traced the lineage of the sons of Seir because they were chiefs and princes, and Mount Seir belonged to Seir, but out of love for Isaac, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave it to Esau, as it is written (Deut. 2:12): “… and the children of Esau drove them out, etc., and settled in their place,” and to inform us of the fulfillment of the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who promised Isaac that He would multiply his seed and give him dominion over all, and because of the honor of Isaac he likewise wrote (verse. 31): “Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, etc.” <b>Adam, Seth, Enosh</b> This is to be interpreted like: “The sons of Adam: Seth, and the sons of Seth: Enosh,” but since they were not the main part of the genealogy, he states them briefly, and he does not mention Cain and Abel because they did not beget generations, but from Seth emerged the generations of Noah and Abraham, and from Abraham to David.</html>

<html><b>Noah, Shem, Ham</b> He should have counted the sons of Shem immediately to find the pearl, namely Abraham, etc., until David, but he mentions the unimportant one and treats his lineage briefly and takes hold of the main ones; and so is the method of all this genealogy of Chronicles, and so it is in the section immediately following (verses 28f.): “The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth.” And so: (verses 34f.): “And Abraham begot Isaac; the sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel; the sons of Esau: Eliphaz,” where he mentions first the lineage of the unimportant ones and afterwards the main one.</html>

<html><b>Ashkenaz and Diphath</b> (with a “daleth”), but in the Pentateuch it is written (Gen. 10:3): “… and Riphath,” because in the beginning they were weak (רָפִים), and they did not overpower Israel, but at the end they were filled with disgrace (דֹּפִי) and evil.</html>

<html><b>And the sons of Javan: Elisha</b> The reason he did not mention Magog and Madai is that he mentioned only the lineage of these, but he did not mention the sons of Magog or the sons of Madai or the rest because heads of nations did not emerge from them, but all their nations were called by the name of Kittim and Dodanim. <b>and Rodanim</b> And further (Gen. 10:4) Scripture states: “and Dodanim.” When Israel sins, they come and rule over them (רוֹדִים), but when Israel is in power, they say, “You are the sons of our uncles (דּוֹדֵינוּ).” At first they appeared as friends when it was for their own benefit, but later they subjugated them.</html>

<html><b>began to be a mighty man on the earth</b> He began to make wars and [perform] mighty deeds on the earth.</html>

<html><b>And Mitzraim begot Ludim</b> In <i>Genesis Rabbah</i> (37:5) “Said Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: The entire coinage of Mizraim is only in the sea. Said Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah: ‘Ludim’ is written ‘Ludiim’ in chronicles, with two ‘yuds,’ to tell you that ‘Ludiim’ means לוּדֵי יָם, Ludim of the sea; Anamim, Anamim of the sea; Lehabim, Lehabim of the sea; Naphtuhim, Naphtuhim of the sea.”</html>

<html><b>Pathrusim</b> Pathrusim of the sea; Casluhim, Casluhim of the sea; Philistines, Philistines of the sea. <b>from whom the Philistines and the Caphtorim were descended</b> The Pathrusim and the Casluhim would switch wives with each other, and from them were descended the Philistines (and the Caphtorim).</html>

<html><b>And Canaan begot, etc.</b> They are eleven, and with Canaan they are twelve. This is what is written: “He set up the boundaries of the peoples.” He set up the boundaries of the peoples corresponding to the tribes of Israel, for they too are twelve; corresponding to the tribes of Israel, He set up the boundaries of the peoples, on the pattern of (Gen. 21:29): “… that you set up (הִצַּבְתָּ) by themselves.”</html>

<html><b>the earth was parted</b> The days of the people were divided and diminished, for at first people lived nine hundred years or more, and in the days of Arpachshad and thereafter, [they were diminished] to four hundred years or more, and from Peleg and thereafter, they were divided in half, to two hundred years out of those four hundred years.</html>

<html><b>all these were the sons of Joktan</b> for he belittled his affairs. Eber was a great prophet (for he named his son for a future event), but the names of the others were not meant to be expounded upon, for they were not inspired by prophetic word.</html>

<html><b>Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah</b> He enumerated the sons of Shem above, and he now commences again in Abraham’s honor. This may be compared to a king who lost a pearl, as above.</html>

<html><b>Abram; he is Abraham</b> Now he traced the lineage from Shem to Abraham, and who is this Abram? He is the one who was called Abraham.</html>

<html><b>And the sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine</b> Anything disgraceful that he could tell about them he tells to enhance Isaac’s honor, i.e., they were all the children of a concubine, but he was the mainstay and the master of the household.</html>

<html><b>And the sons of Midian: Ephah and Epher, etc.</b> five heads of nations. Therefore, they appointed five kings, each one its king, as it is written (Num. 31:8): “Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, etc., the five kings of Midian.” <b>all these were the sons of Keturah</b> [These were mentioned] because of Abraham’s honor.</html>

<html><b>Esau and Israel</b> Because of David’s honor, he says, “Israel,” not “Jacob.”</html>

<html><b>The sons of Esau: Eliphaz</b> in order to deal with him briefly and to cast him away; he only mentioned him in honor of Isaac.</html>

<html><b>Hamran and Eshban</b> But in the Pentateuch (Gen. 36:26) it is written, “Hemdan.” At first, they were precious and desirable (חֲמוּדִין וְנֶחֱמָדִין) as righteous men, but at the end they were as ugly as a donkey. So is the way of a donkey: at first it is pretty and at the end it becomes ugly, but a horse is at first ugly and later pretty.</html>

<html><b>Now these are the kings</b> It is explained (<i>Gen. Rab.</i> 83:2): Rabbi Aibu said: This was before a king reigned in Israel, but since a king reigned in Israel, a governor reigned in Edom. Rabbi Jose the son of Hanina says: When this one [Edom] appoints kings, this one [Israel] appoints judges; when this one appoints chiefs, this one appoints princes. Said Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi: This one [Edom] appointed eight [kings] and this one: [Israel] appointed eight [kings], and I heard [people ask]: Did Edom have only these eight kings, and did Israel have only eight? Were there not more? Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, etc. Rather, the statement that this one appointed eight kings means that when they [Edom] appointed those eight kings of Edom, they [Israel] did not appoint the kings of Israel, because they were before David, and the chiefs of the heads of his fathers’ houses.</html>