Jaalam

Jaalam (spelled Jalam in UPDV) is a son of Esau by his wife Oholibamah. He appears only in the Edomite genealogies of Genesis and Chronicles, and the four notices of his name all sit inside lists of Esau's offspring and chiefs. The figure has no narrative of his own; the umbrella collects what little the genealogies say.

Birth in Canaan

The first notice records his birth among Esau's sons by Oholibamah while the family was still in the land of Canaan: "and Oholibamah bore Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan" (Gen 36:5). The same triad is repeated a few verses on, with Oholibamah's parentage spelled out in full: "And these were the sons of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bore to Esau Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah" (Gen 36:14).

Edomite Chief

In the chiefly register that follows, Jalam is named among the heads who descended from Oholibamah: "And these are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau's wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah: these are the chiefs who came of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife" (Gen 36:18). The title "chief" places him among the tribal heads of Edom rather than among the line that produced the kings.

In the Chronicler's Genealogy

The Chronicler picks up the same list when he traces Esau's descendants in summary form: "The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah" (1Ch 1:35). The name passes here without comment, taking its place in the Edomite roll as it had in Genesis.