Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 1:35-37

"The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah. The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek. The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah." — 1 Chronicles 1:35-37 (ASV)

The sons of Esau. (Compare Genesis 36:9-13.) In 1 Chronicles 1:36 the name of Timna occurs under the general heading, “Sons of Eliphaz.” According to Genesis 36:12, Timna was a secondary wife of Eliphaz, and mother of Amalek. Strange as this difference may at first sight appear, it is in fact absolutely unimportant.

As the writer’s intention is simply to enumerate the principal branches of the sons of Eliphaz, the statement of the special relations between the different clans might be omitted here, just as fairly and naturally as the relations between Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are left unnoticed in 1 Chronicles 1:4. (Compare also 1 Chronicles 1:17), where Uz, Hul, and others, are apparently coordinated with Aram, although Genesis 10:23 expressly calls them sons of Aram. The Vatican manuscript of the Septuagint has our text; the Alexandrine manuscript follows that of Genesis 36:12. It is at least curious that if Timna-Amalek is excluded from account, the sons of Esau are twelve in number.

The fact is obscured in the chronicler's compressed statement; but it becomes evident by reference to Genesis 36:11-14, where five sons are reckoned to Eliphaz (1 Chronicles 1:11), four to Reuel (1 Chronicles 1:13), and three to Esau’s wife Aholibamah (1 Chronicles 1:14), namely: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. Although 1 Chronicles 1:12 of that passage reckons Amalek with the sons of Adah, mother of Eliphaz, it distinctly separates Timna-Amalek from the sons of Eliphaz.

It would seem that Amalek was known to be only remotely connected with the pure Edomite stocks. For the organization of a people into twelve tribes, and so on, compare Ewald, History of Israel, 1:362, and his Antiquities of Israel, § 280. However, Genesis 36:15–19 enumerates Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, Gatam, and Amalek, sons of Eliphaz; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, Mizzah, sons of Reuel; and Jeush, Jaalam, Korah, sons of Aholibamah, as chiliarchs (allûfîm — LXX., φύλαρχοι) or chieftains of Esau-Edom.