Biography
Zibeon was a Hivite chieftain of the Horite clans of Seir in Edom, mentioned in the genealogical records of Genesis 36 and 1 Chronicles 1. He was the father of Anah and the grandfather of Oholibamah, who became one of Esau's three wives (Genesis 36:2, 14, 20, 24, 29). The genealogies list him both among the Horite clan chiefs and as a son of Seir, situating him firmly within the indigenous population of Edom prior to Esau's settlement there. Genesis 36:24 records the curious detail that Zibeon's son Anah discovered hot springs (or mules, depending on the textual tradition) in the wilderness. Through his granddaughter Oholibamah's union with Esau, Zibeon's bloodline became interwoven with the patriarchal family.
Significance
Zibeon's significance lies primarily in his connection to Esau's family and the early ethnographic portrait of the nations surrounding Israel. The Genesis 36 genealogy, often passed over quickly, serves a theological purpose: it demonstrates that God's providential attention extended beyond Israel to encompass the full scope of human families descended from the patriarchs. Esau, though not the covenant heir, was not outside God's concern, his descendants became the nation of Edom, whose complex relationship with Israel runs throughout Scripture. Zibeon represents the pre-Israelite peoples among whom the patriarchal families lived, reminding readers that biblical history unfolds within a rich and interconnected human tapestry that God superintends in its entirety.
Verse Appearances (2)
Genesis
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]