Duke

The English word "duke" — used by older versions for the heads of the Edomite and Midianite clans — corresponds to "chief" in the UPDV. The title is concentrated in two genealogical lists for Esau's descendants and reappears once in connection with Midian.

Chiefs of Edom: The Esau Genealogy

The fullest treatment is the catalogue in Genesis 36, where Esau's sons are organized into clan-heads — first by mother, then by location — and finally cross-listed with the parallel list of Horite clan-heads who shared the land of Seir. The chiefs descended from Eliphaz, Esau's firstborn, are named first: "These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, chief Gatam, chief Amalek: these are the chiefs who came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah" (Gen 36:15-16). The sons of Reuel and of Oholibamah follow: "And these are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah... And these are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau's wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah" (Gen 36:17-18). The list closes with the summary tag, "These are the sons of Esau, and these are their chiefs: the same is Edom" (Gen 36:19).

The same chapter then runs a parallel genealogy of "the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land" (Gen 36:20), reaching its own list of Horite chiefs: "These are the chiefs who came of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan: these are the chiefs who came of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir" (Gen 36:29-30).

A final roster, framed by location rather than by mother, names the chiefs of Esau's later settlement: "And these are the names of the chiefs who came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, chief Magdiel, chief Iram: these are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession. This is Esau, the father of the Edomites" (Gen 36:40-43).

The Chronicler's Recapitulation

The Chronicler reproduces the closing roster in the opening genealogy of 1 Chronicles, with the same names and the same title: "And Hadad died. And the chiefs of Edom were: chief Timna, chief Aliah, chief Jetheth, chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom" (1Ch 1:51-54).

At the Sea: A Word About Edom

The Song of the Sea names these same Edomite leaders at the moment of Israel's deliverance, where the news of Yahweh's victory at the sea reaches the surrounding peoples and shakes them: "Then were the chiefs of Edom dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, trembling takes hold on them: All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away" (Ex 15:15).

Chiefs of Midian

Midianite leadership carries the same title once, in Joshua's summary of the conquest east of the Jordan. Five Midianite chiefs are named there alongside Sihon king of the Amorites: "and all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who dwelt in the land" (Jos 13:21).