The sons of Seir
This phrase introduces us to the descendants of Seir, a Horite chieftain whose lineage is significant in the context of Edomite history. The Horites were an ancient people who inhabited the region of Seir before the Edomites. The name "Seir" itself is often associated with the rugged, mountainous terrain of Edom, which is modern-day southern Jordan. Understanding the geographical and historical context of Seir helps us appreciate the complex interactions between the Israelites and their neighbors.

Lotan
Lotan is the first son listed and is also mentioned in Genesis 36:20-29. The name Lotan may be related to the Hebrew root "lot," meaning "covering" or "enveloping," which could symbolize protection or concealment. Lotan's descendants were part of the Horite clans, and his mention here underscores the integration of various tribes and families in the region, reflecting the diverse cultural and ethnic landscape of the ancient Near East.

Shobal
Shobal is another son of Seir, and his name might derive from a root meaning "to flow" or "to be abundant." This could imply prosperity or fertility, which were highly valued attributes in ancient times. Shobal's lineage is also noted in Genesis, indicating the importance of his family in the broader narrative of the Edomites and their interactions with Israel.

Zibeon
The name Zibeon is thought to be related to a root meaning "hyena" or "wild animal," suggesting a connection to the natural world or perhaps a characteristic of strength or cunning. Zibeon's descendants played a role in the history of the region, and his mention highlights the interconnectedness of various tribes and peoples in the biblical narrative.

Anah
Anah is a name that appears in several contexts in the Bible, sometimes associated with a discovery of hot springs in the wilderness (Genesis 36:24). The name may be linked to a root meaning "to answer" or "to respond," which could symbolize communication or revelation. Anah's inclusion in this genealogy emphasizes the significance of his family line in the unfolding account of the Edomites.

Dishon
Dishon is another son of Seir, and his name might be related to a root meaning "thresher" or "to tread," possibly indicating agricultural activities or strength. The mention of Dishon and his descendants reflects the agrarian lifestyle of many ancient peoples and their reliance on the land for sustenance and survival.

Ezer
Ezer's name is often associated with the concept of "help" or "assistance," derived from a root meaning "to aid" or "to support." This name is significant in the biblical context, as it underscores the importance of community and mutual support among tribes and families. Ezer's lineage contributes to the rich tapestry of relationships and alliances in the ancient world.

Dishan
Dishan, similar to Dishon, may be linked to agricultural themes, with a name possibly meaning "thresher" or "to tread." The repetition of similar names within the genealogy could indicate common cultural or occupational traits among the Horites. Dishan's mention in this verse serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of these ancient peoples and their impact on the biblical narrative.

(38-42) The sons of Seir (from Genesis 36:20-30).--There is no apparent link between this series and the preceding. Comparison of Genesis 36:20 shows that Seir represents the indigenous inhabitants of Edom ("the inhabitants of the land," comp. Joshua 7:9) before its conquest by the sons of Esau. In time a fusion of the two races would result, the tribes of each being governed by their own chieftains, as is indicated by Genesis 36:20-21, where the seven sons of Seir (1Chronicles 1:38) are called "chiliarchs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom." Deuteronomy 2:22 implies not the actual extermination of the Horites (Troglodytes or Cave-dwellers) by their Semitic invaders, the sons of Esau, but only their entire subjugation. The differences of spelling noticed in the margin are unimportant as regards the names Zephi (1Chronicles 1:36), Homam (1Chronicles 1:39), and Alian and Shephi (1Chronicles 1:40); the note on Ebal-Obal (1Chronicles 1:22) explains them. The written w and y in Hebrew are so similar as to be perpetually confounded with each other by careless copyists. The same fact accounts for the missing conjunction and in 1Chronicles 1:42, which is expressed in Hebrew by simply prefixing the letter w to a word. The w in this case having been misread, and transcribed as y, the name Jakan (Yaqan) resulted. The Aqan (not Achan) of Genesis 36:2 is correct. (So some MSS., the LXX., and Arabic.) Amram, in 1Chronicles 1:41, is a mistake of the Authorised version. The Hebrew has Hamran, which differs only by one consonant from the Hemdan of Genesis 36:26; a difference due to the common confusion of the Hebrew letters d and r, already exemplified in 1Chronicles 1:6-7 (Riphath--Diphath, Dodanim--Rodanim). Many MSS. and the Arabic read Hemdan here. . . . Verses 38-42. - F. LIST OF DESCENDANTS OF SEIR. These verses contain the names of seven sons of Seir and one daughter, and of grandsons through every one of the seven sons, viz. two through Lotan the first, five through Shobal the second, two through Zibeon the third, one through Anah the fourth, four through Dishon the fifth, three through Ezar the sixth, and two through Dishan the seventh, - twenty-six names in all, or, including the one daughter, who is introduced as Lotan's sister, twenty-seven. The first question which arises is, who Seir was, now first mentioned here. He is called in Genesis 36:20 "Seir the Horite," and the only previous mention of the name Seir in that chapter is in ver. 8, "Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom;" while we read in Genesis 14:6, "The Horites in mount Self;" in Genesis 32:3, "To the land of Seir, the country of Edom." For anything we know of the person Self, then, we are confined to these two notices - that in Genesis 36:20 and the one in our text. The name signifies "rough;" and whether Seir. the person, took the name from Seir, the place (a mountain district, reaching from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf), or vice versa, it would seem plain that the proper name belonged to the head of the tribe, which had become located there, and was, of course, not in the line of Abraham. This tribe, called Horites - Hori being the name of Seir's eldest grandson - or Troglodytes, acquired their name from hollowing out dwellings in the rocks, as at Petra. They were visited evidently by Esau: he married at least one of his wives from them; and his descendants, the Edomites, in due time dispossessed and superseded them (Deuteronomy 2:12). No doubt some were left behind, and contentedly submitted to the Edomites and became mingled with them. These considerations put together account for the introduction here of the names of Seir and his twenty-seven descendants, while the particulars of their genealogy, so far as here given, would lie easily to hand. The sons of Seir are called in Genesis also "dukes" (אַלּוּפֵי), a word answered to by the later "sheikhs;" and they are called "dukes of the Horites," or "the dukes of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Self." The twenty-six or twenty-seven names under notice agree in the Authorized Version entirely with those in Genesis 36:20-27, except that for Homam, Allan, Shephi, Amram, and Jakan here, we have Hemam, Alvan, Shepho, Hemdan, and Akau there. Also in the Hebrew the texts agree in the two places as regards these names, with the same exceptions. But in the Septuagint the names differ much more in the two places. Thus for Ωσὰρ, Δισάν (or Λισάν),Ἀλὼν Ταιβὴλ Σωφὶ Ωνάν, Αιθ Σωνὰν Δαισὼν Ἐμερὼν Ἀσεβὼν, Ἰεθρὰμ, and Ακάν here, we have Ἀσὰρ, Ῥισὼν Γωλὰμ Γαιβὴλ Σωφὰρ Ωμὰρ Ἀίε, Ἀνά Δησὼν Ἀμαδὰ Ἀσβὰν Ἰθρὰν, and Ἱουκάμ there. When the name of Anah is reached in Genesis, it is added, "This was that Anah that found the mules [אֶת־הַיַּבִים, more probably 'hot springs,' as the finder of which Anah is supposed to have been called Beeri] in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon, his father." And again, when Dishon is mentioned as the son of Anah, there is added, "And Aholi-bamah the daughter of Anah." Note is made of her name, no doubt, for the same kind of reason as Timna is mentioned above. Aholibamah (i.q. "Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite," Genesis 26:34) enjoys notice inasmuch as she became the wife of Esau; and Timna, as she became the concubine of Esau's son Eliphaz, and thereby the mother of Amalek.

Parallel Commentaries ...


The sons
וּבְנֵ֣י (ū·ḇə·nê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Seir:
שֵׂעִ֔יר (śê·‘îr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8165: Seir -- a mountain range in Edom, also its inhabitants, also a mountain in Judah

Lotan,
לוֹטָ֥ן (lō·w·ṭān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3877: Lotan -- a son of Seir

Shobal,
וְשׁוֹבָ֖ל (wə·šō·w·ḇāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7732: Shobal -- 'flowing', an Edomite, also two Israelites

Zibeon,
וְצִבְע֣וֹן (wə·ṣiḇ·‘ō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6649: Zibeon -- 'hyena', a Horite

Anah,
וַֽעֲנָ֑ה (wa·‘ă·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6034: Anah -- two Horites

Dishon,
וְדִישֹׁ֥ן (wə·ḏî·šōn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1787: Dishon -- two Edomites

Ezer,
וְאֵ֖צֶר (wə·’ê·ṣer)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 687: Ezer -- 'treasure', a chief of the Horites

and Dishan.
וְדִישָֽׁן׃ (wə·ḏî·šān)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1789: Dishan -- an Edomite


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 1:38 The sons of Seir: Lotan and Shobal (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)