And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife.
Parallel translations
- WEB Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau’s son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife.
- BSB Additionally, Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, gave birth to Amalek. These are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.
- NKJV Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife.
- NASB Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These are the sons of Esau’s wife Adah.
- NLT Timna, the concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, gave birth to a son named Amalek. These are the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Timna, a concubine of Eliphaz, bore Amalek, ancestor of the Amalekites. This explains the origin of a people who became bitter enemies of Israel.
Overview
Amalek descended from Esau through Eliphaz's concubine Timna, making the Amalekites distant kin to Israel. Yet they would attack Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 17) and earn lasting judgment. This note quietly foreshadows the conflict between the offspring of Jacob and Esau, and reminds us that sin's consequences can ripple through generations.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Deut 25:17–19Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
- Exod 17:8–16Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
- Gen 14:7And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.
- Gen 36:22And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna.
- Num 24:18–20And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
- Deut 23:7Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.
- 1 Sam 15:2–9Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
- 1 Chr 1:36The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 36:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.