Interesting Facts

• According to the Genesis account, Timna is identified as the sister of Lotan.
• The Book of Jasher corroborates this by also referring to Timna as the sister of Lotan.
• Timna sought out Jacob and his sons, but they did not heed her.
• Despite being rejected by Jacob and his sons, Timna later became a concubine to Eliphaz, the son of Esau.
• As the concubine of Eliphaz, Timna bore him Amalek.

Genealogy

• Timna was the sister of Lotan, who was among the children of Seir the Horite.
• This would make Timna a descendant of Seir, a Horite.
• Her father was not explicitly named in the provided excerpts, but her brother Lotan is identified as a son of Seir.
• Timna became a concubine to Eliphaz, who was a son of Esau.
• Through this union with Eliphaz, Timna was the mother of Amalek.
• Amalek is also listed as a “duke” of the sons of Esau.

Historical Context

The narrative concerning Timna unfolds in the generations following Abraham, during the time when Jacob and his family were dwelling in the land of Canaan and Esau and his descendants were settling in Seir, also known as Edom. The interactions between these familial lines, specifically between Jacob’s family and the descendants of Esau, form a significant backdrop to Timna’s story. The separation of Jacob’s line, which carried the covenantal promises, from Esau’s line, who established themselves in a different territory, sets the stage for various encounters and relationships. The societal norms of the time likely included practices of concubinage, as evidenced by Timna’s relationship with Eliphaz, and the significance of familial lineage and adherence to the traditions of one’s people are also apparent in the narrative where Jacob’s sons refused to listen to Timna.

Narrative

Timna’s personal story within the provided texts is brief but revealing. She is first mentioned as the sister of Lotan. Her pivotal action is that she “came to Jacob and his sons,” and the text explicitly states that “they would not give ear to her”. The reason for her approach to Jacob and his sons is not detailed, leaving room for interpretation. However, the immediate consequence of this rejection is that “she went and became a concubine to Eliphaz the son of Esau, and she bare to him Amalek”. This suggests a movement away from Jacob’s lineage and an integration into Esau’s. The birth of Amalek is a significant outcome of this union, as Amalek is later identified as one of the “dukes” of Edom. Timna’s narrative, though concise, highlights a point of interaction (and subsequent separation) between the lines of Jacob and Esau, and her choice to become Eliphaz’s concubine had lasting genealogical implications through her son Amalek.