The Meaning of Genesis 36:31 Explained

Genesis 36:31

KJV: And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.

YLT: And these are the kings who have reigned in the land of Edom before the reigning of a king over the sons of Israel.

Darby: And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned a king over the children of Israel.

ASV: And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And these [are] the kings  that reigned  in the land  of Edom,  before  there reigned  any king  over the children  of Israel. 

What does Genesis 36:31 Mean?

Study Notes

kings that reigned in the land of Edom
It is characteristic of Scripture that the kings of Edom should be enumerated before the kings of Israel. The principle is stated in 1 Corinthians 15:46 . First things are "natural," man's best, and always fail; second things are "spiritual," God's things, and succeed. Adam--Christ; Cain--Abel; Cain's posterity--Seth's posterity; Saul--David; Israel--the true Church, etc.

Chapter Summary: Genesis 36

1  Esau's three wives
6  His removal to mount Seir
9  His sons
15  The dukes which descended of his sons
20  The sons and dukes of Seir the Horite
24  Anah finds mules
31  The kings of Edom
40  The dukes that descended of Esau

What do the individual words in Genesis 36:31 mean?

And these [were] the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned any king reigned over the sons of Israel
וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלְכ֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם לִפְנֵ֥י מְלָךְ־ מֶ֖לֶךְ לִבְנֵ֥י : יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙  And  these  [were] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
הַמְּלָכִ֔ים  the  kings 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מָלְכ֖וּ  reigned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֱד֑וֹם  of  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
לִפְנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מְלָךְ־  there  reigned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
מֶ֖לֶךְ  any  king  reigned 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לִבְנֵ֥י  over  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
: יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.