Genesis 36:28 — Word Study
WLCאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־ דִישָׁ֖ן ע֥וּץ וַאֲרָֽן׃
BSATheseʼêl-leh [specific ones, the following] are the sonsbên [descendants, children] of DishanDîyshân [son of Seir, an Edomite] UzʻÛwts [a son of Dishan the Horite] and AranʼĂrân [a son of Dishan, a man of the Patriarchs]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֵ֥לֶּה | these | Particle |
| בְנֵֽי־ | [were] [the] sons of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| דִישָׁ֖ן | Dishan | Noun proper masculine |
| ע֥וּץ | Uz | Noun proper masculine |
| וַאֲרָֽן׃ | and Aran | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. |
| KJV | The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran. |
| ASV | These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran. |
| YLT | These [are] sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. |
| WEB | These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran. |
| BBE | These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran. |
The translations agree on the identification of the sons of Dishan as Uz and Aran.
The sentence has a main clause with a clear subject and predicate, presenting the information in a straightforward manner.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 36:28
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Descendants of Seirgenerated
Genesis 36:28 is part of a genealogical account detailing the descendants of Seir, an Edomite. This section lists the children of Dishan, noting their names and lineage. The context emphasizes the importance of family heritage among the Edomites, linking them to the broader narrative of the Patriarchs and their descendants.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 1:1 | There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 25:20 | all the mixed tribes; all the kings of Uz; all the kings of the Philistines: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; |
| 3 | Lamentations 4:21 | So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֵלֶּה, 'E.lehgenerated
The word אֵלֶּה ('E.leh) is a demonstrative particle meaning 'these'. It is used to specify particular individuals or items, indicating proximity or relevance. In this verse, it introduces the sons of Dishan, highlighting their significance within the genealogical record.
This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in contexts that require specification. It can function in apposition to a noun, enhancing clarity in lists or descriptions.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the wording of this verse, consistently identifying the sons of Dishan as Uz and Aran.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with a main clause introduced by אֵ֥לֶּה ('these') followed by the predicate בְנֵֽי־ ('sons of'), leading to the specific names of the sons. This clear structure emphasizes the identification of the descendants.
The finite verb and noun phrases work together to convey the genealogical relationships, with the subject and predicate clearly defined.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֵלֶּה as οὗτοι (houtoi), which also means 'these'. This choice maintains the specificity of the Hebrew term, indicating the same focus on particular individuals.
The LXX does not provide significant interpretive differences but aligns closely with the Hebrew text's intent.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 36:28 lists the sons of Dishan, specifically naming Uz and Aran. This verse is part of a genealogical record that emphasizes the descendants of Seir, an Edomite, and shows the importance of lineage in the biblical narrative.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran, as mentioned in Genesis 36:28.
This genealogy highlights the lineage of the Edomites and their connection to the broader narrative of the Patriarchs.
Uz is associated with a region east of Palestine and means 'wooded'. It is also the name of a son of Dishan.
Aran means 'joyous' and is noted as a descendant of Dishan.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of family lineage from this verse?
- How does this genealogical record connect to the broader story of the Edomites?
- In what ways does understanding these names enhance our comprehension of biblical history?
- Why might genealogies be significant in the biblical narrative?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 36:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe children of Dishon are these,.... The last of the seven sons of Seir, and who had two sons, Uz and Aran; from the former of these the land of Uz, inhabited by the Edomites, had its name,
Read John Gill on Genesis 36 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThese are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, These are the sons of Seir the Horite.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 36 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges28. Uz] See Genesis 10:23, Genesis 22:21. Possibly a branch of the Aramaean race (cf. Job 1:1) had settled among the Horites, S.E. of Palestine.
Read Cambridge on Genesis 36 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleSONS OF SEIR THE HORITE, Genesis 36:20-30. The Horites were the original occupants of Mount Seir, (Genesis 14:6,) but it appears from Deuteronomy 2:12; Deuteronomy 2:22, that they were subdued by the
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 36 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
Tyndale line
The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.
These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These are the children of Dishan; Uz and Aran.
The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.
The sonnes of Dishan are these: Vz, and Aran.
Strictly literal
— These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These [are] sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These [are] sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These are the children of Dishan: Uz, and Aran.
These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
From the Latin
And Disan had sons: Hus, and Aram.
Simplified
These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of the verse, with all five words matching. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word אדן (Aran) instead of the Hebrew אֲרָן.
אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־ דִישָׁ֖ן ע֥וּץ וַאֲרָֽן׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ואלה בני דישׁן עוץ ואדן
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: אדן (Aran)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 36:28
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.
אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these
in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)
repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those
with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)
with preps.
base
H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)
. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those
. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)
. with preps.
428 'el-leh ale'-leh
prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one
sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,
thus, which, who(-m).
see HEBREW for 0411
אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.
1) these
1a) used before antecedent
1b) used following antecedent
Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)
Pron — ParticleHTm
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
See SON, SONS.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
דִּישָׁן (Diyshan) refers to a son of Seir, mentioned in Genesis 36:21. He is noted as the fifth son among his siblings, which include Lotan, Shobal, and Dishon. The name is also related to another form, דִּישֹׁן (Dishon), and is interpreted to mean "thresher."
דִּישָׁן n.pr.m. a son of Seir
base
H1789 דִּישָׁן a son of Seir
1789 Diyshan dee-shawn'
another form of 1787 Dishan, an Edomite:--Dishon.
see HEBREW for 01787
דִּישָׁן (di.shan) — Dishan.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.21;
son of: Seir (H8165B);
brother of: Lotan (H3877), Shobal (H7732), Zibeon (H6649H), Anah (H6034H), Dishon (H1787), Ezer (H0687) and Timna (H8555H);
father of: Uz (H5780I), Aran (H0765)
Also named: di.shon (דִּישֹׁן "Dishan" H1787I)
§ Dishan or Dishon = "thresher"
the fifth son of Seir
דִּישָׁן (di.shan) — Dishon.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.21;
son of: Seir (H8165B);
brother of: Lotan (H3877), Shobal (H7732), Zibeon (H6649H), Anah (H6034H), Ezer (H0687), Dishan (H1789) and Timna (H8555H);
father of: Hemdan (H2533), Eshban (H0790), Ithran (H3506), Cheran (H3763)
Another spelling of di.shon (דִּישֹׁן "Dishon" H1787)
§ Dishan or Dishon = "thresher"
the fifth son of Seir
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Dishan
Antelope, the youngest son of Seir the Horite, head of one of the tribes of Idumaea (Gen. 36:21, 28, 30).
(antelope), the youngest son of Seir the Horite. (Genesis 36:21,28,30; 1 Chronicles 1:38,42)
a threshing
עוּץ (uts) refers to Uz, a name associated with several figures in the Old Testament, including a son of Aram and a son of Nahor. The term also denotes a region, likely east or southeast of Palestine, connected to the story of Job. The entries highlight Uz's meaning as 'wooded' and its various familial connections, but do not present significant disagreement.
עוּץ n.pr.
m.
(eldest) ‘son’ of Aram, = ‘son’ of Shem
eldest ‘son’ of Naḥor
Edomite name
loc. on Uz as vague name for E. country
base
H5780 עוּץ . (eldest) ‘son’ of Aram
. on Uz as vague name for E. country
5780 `Uwts oots
apparently from 5779; consultation; Uts, a son of Aram, also
a Seirite, and the regions settled by them.:--Uz.
see HEBREW for 05779
עוּץ (uts) — Uz.
A man of the Syrians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.23;
son of: Aram (H0758);
brother of: Hul (H2343), Gether (H1666) and Mash (H4851)
§ Uz = "wooded"
1) son of Aram and grandson of Seth
2) son of Nahor by Milcah
3) an Edomite, son of Dishan and grandson of Seir
4) the country of Job; probably east and southeast of Palestine somewhere in the Arabian desert
עוּץ (uts) — Uz.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, only mentioned at Gen.22.21;
son of: Nahor (H5152H) and Milcah (H4435);
brother of: Buz (H0938), Kemuel (H7055), Chesed (H3777), Hazo (H2375), Pildash (H6394), Jidlaph (H3044) and Bethuel (H1328A);
half-brother of: Tebah (H2875), Gaham (H1514), Tahash (H8477) and Maacah (H4601)
§ Uz = "wooded"
1) son of Aram and grandson of Seth
2) son of Nahor by Milcah
3) an Edomite, son of Dishan and grandson of Seir
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Uz
Fertile land. (1.) The son of Aram, and grandson of Shem (Gen. 10:23; 1 Chr. 1:17).
(2.) One of the Horite “dukes” in the land of Edom (Gen. 36:28).
(3.) The eldest son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother (Gen. 22:21, R.V.).
The land in which Job dwelt, Job 1:1 Jer 25:20 La 4:21. The Seventy call it Ausitis. It appears to have been a region in Arabia Deserta, between Palestine, Idumaea, and the Euphrates, and most probably not far from the borders of Idumaea. It is uncertain whether its inhabitants were descendants of Uz the son of Aram, Huz the son of Nahor, or Uz the Horite, Ge 10:23 22:21 36:28. They appear to have had much knowledge of the true God and the principles of virtue and religion.
counsel; words
אֲרָן (Aran) refers to a man from the time of the Patriarchs, identified as a descendant of Esau. The name may mean 'joyous' and is linked to the Edomite lineage. It appears in Genesis 36:28, where Aran is noted as the son of Dishan and brother of Uz.
אֲרָן n.pr.m. a descendant of Esau (? wild-goat)
base
H765 אֲרָן a descendant of Esau (? wild-goat)
765 'Aran ar-awn'
from 7442; stridulous; Aran, an Edomite:--Aran.
see HEBREW for 07442
אֲרָן (a.ran) — Aran.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.28;
son of: Dishan (H1789);
brother of: Uz (H5780I)
§ Aran = "joyous"
a descendant of Esau
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
a'-ran ('aran, "wild goat"): A son of Dishan, the Horite (Ge 36:28; 1Ch 1:42). It may possibly be connected with the Yerahmelite Oren ('-ren) (1Ch 2:25; compare Curtis, Chron. at the place; Dillmann, Ge at the place; ZDMG, L,168); Robertson Smith claims that this name is equivalent to the Samaritan ('-r-n), "wild goat" (Jour. Phil., IX, 90). J. Jacobs translates it by "ass" (Stud. Biblical Arch., 71). This is one of the many totem names in the Bible. More than one-third of the Horites, the descendants of Seir, bear animal names, and those clans of the Edomites connected with the Horites also have animal names. The very name "Self" means a "he-goat," and Dishan, "a gazelle" (Stud. Biblical Arch., 70-72). Gray, however, remarks…
Aran
Wild goat, a descendant of Seir the Horite (Gen. 36:28).
(wild goat), a Horite, son of Dishan and brother of Uz. Genesis 36:28; 1Chr 1:42
an ark; their curse