Jeush

Biblical Record

Jeush was a son of Esau. His mother was Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon (Genesis 36:14). His full brothers were Jaalam and Korah. His half brothers, born to Esau's other wives, were Eliphaz and Reuel (Genesis 36:4-5).

Genesis 36:5 records that Jeush was born "in the land of Canaan." The verses that follow (Genesis 36:6-8) relate that Esau took his household, left his brother Jacob, and moved to Mount Seir. Genesis 36:18 names Jeush, together with his brothers Jaalam and Korah, among the "dukes," that is, chiefs who each led a clan. 1 Chronicles 1:35 also includes his name in its list of the five sons of Esau. Scripture records nothing further about Jeush's life or deeds.

Significance in Scripture

Jeush's significance lies in his place within Esau's genealogy, which traces the origins of the people of Edom. Genesis 36 sets out how the descendants of Esau, who is Edom, were divided among several chiefs (Genesis 36:1, 36:8). Jeush is one of those chiefs. He is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

Some interpreters read the list of chiefs in Genesis 36 as naming both individuals and the clans that took their names. Scripture, however, does not separately record the descendants of Chief Jeush or the history of his clan, and the text gives no account of his character or accomplishments.

Several other people in Scripture bear the same name:

• A son of Bilhan of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 7:10)
• A son of Shaharaim (1 Chronicles 8:10)
• The second son of Eshek (1 Chronicles 8:39)
• A son of Shimei, a Levite of the Gershonite line (1 Chronicles 23:10-11)
• A son of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:19)

These are different people from the Jeush discussed in this article.

In the Korean Church

Because Jeush appears only briefly in the genealogical passages of Genesis, Korean churches seldom treat him on his own in sermons or Sunday school lessons. He is usually mentioned in passing when the list of Esau's descendants is read during a read-through of the Bible.