Genesis 36:18

Summary

The verse lists the sons of Oholibamah, wife of Esau, identifying each as an alluf ("chief", H0441B): Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. It closes by repeating that these are the chiefs descended from Oholibamah, daughter of Anah and wife of Esau.

Key words

• 'Elleh ("these", H0428) — demonstrative particle framing the list twice (positions 2 and 13), opening and closing the genealogical unit.
• benei ("sons of", H1121A) — masculine plural construct, establishing the initial relationship "sons of Oholibamah" before the term shifts to alluf later in the verse.
• 'alluf ("chief", H0441B) — masculine singular, repeated three times (positions 7, 9, 11) before each name, and again in plural construct alufei ("chiefs of", position 14) summarizing the group.
• 'eshet ("wife of", H0802H) — feminine singular construct, appearing twice (positions 5 and 18), each time linking Oholibamah to Esau at the start and end of the verse.
• bat ("daughter of", H1323G) — feminine singular construct, adding Oholibamah's paternal lineage ("daughter of Anah") in the closing formula.

What the text says

The verse is structured as a ring composition: it opens with 'Elleh benei 'Ahalivamah 'eshet 'Esav ("these are the sons of Oholibamah, wife of Esau") and closes with 'Elleh 'alufei 'Ahalivamah bat-'Anah 'eshet 'Esav ("these are the chiefs of Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, wife of Esau"). The three individual names — Jeush, Jalam, Korah — are each preceded by the singular construct 'alluf, so within the list the sons are designated by title rather than by the term "sons" again. This produces a shift in vocabulary: the noun ben ("son") used to introduce the list gives way to alluf ("chief") used both individually for each name and collectively in the closing plural alufei.

The closing formula also adds information not present in the opening line: Oholibamah is identified as bat 'Anah ("daughter of Anah", H1323G + H6034), a detail absent from the introductory clause. The double appearance of 'eshet 'Esav ("wife of Esau") at both the start and the end reinforces the identification of Oholibamah through her marriage, framing the entire list of chiefs.

Differences between versions

The LXX renders the three names as Ἰεούλ, Ἰεγλόμ, and κόρε, differing in transliteration from the Hebrew Ye'ush, Ya'lam, and Qorach. The LXX text given also shows some corruption or abbreviation ("ἦγε. μόνες Ἐλιβέμας" for the closing clause), making its correspondence to the Hebrew closing formula ("chiefs of Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, wife of Esau") unclear in this transmitted form. The Vulgate follows the Hebrew structure closely, rendering dux for 'alluf and preserving both the opening and closing identifications of Oholibamah, including "filiæ Anæ" for bat-'Anah.