John Gill Commentary Genesis 36:24

"And these are the children of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; this is Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father." — Genesis 36:24 (ASV)

And these are the children of Zibeon
The third son of Self, and who had two sons;

both Ajah and Anah ;
of the latter it is observed:

this [was that] Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father ;
He observed, while feeding his father's asses in the wilderness, that the he-asses coupled with mares, or horses with the she-asses, producing another sort of creature called mules. By this means, he found out how such creatures might be produced and practiced it. So Aelianus says ^F4 , that mules are not the produce of nature, but you may call it an adulterous invention of human contrivance and boldness, and a theft.

However, against this interpretation, it may be observed that the word for "mules" is different from the word used here. Nor is this word ever used of mules, nor does it appear that there were any creatures of this sort before the days of David. Furthermore, the word translated "found" is never used of something that did not exist before, but of something that already existed. There is also no mention of horses or mares in this account; had it referred to a mixture of these creatures with asses, it would not have been omitted.

Some therefore think the words should be rendered, "he found waters in the wilderness"—sources and collections of waters which were not usual in a wilderness and were of great worth and use in desert lands like Edom and in those hot countries. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "hot waters". However, to support either of these versions, the word must be altered either in its points or letters, for which there is no authority.

The Targum of Onkelos renders it "mighty ones" or "giants", and may signify the "Emim", the "aleph" being changed for "yod", as Aben Ezra observes. The sense then is that these gigantic people, who were so called from the terror they caused in their neighbours and who dwelt near the Horim in Seir (Deuteronomy 2:10–12), used to steal from their flocks. Anah lighted on them in the wilderness, fell upon them, and took them. The Samaritan version agrees with this, "he found giants, in the wilderness", and so Abendana interprets the words.

Aben Ezra observes that many interpret the word of plants or herbs; and a very learned ^F5 man is of opinion that the word used is the name of an useful herb or plant, first discovered by Anah.

This Anah, though a keeper of his father's asses, is afterwards called Duke Anah; it being the custom of the sons of great personages to be the keepers of flocks and herds; (See Gill on Genesis 29:9).

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FOOTNOTES:

• F4: De Animal. l. 12. c. 16.
• F5: Wagenseil, in Sota, p. 217, 218.