A common misinterpretation confuses this Saul, an Edomite king from Rehoboth, with Israel's first king Saul son of Kish, blending distinct genealogies despite the chapter's clear focus on Esau's line separate from Jacob's; others erroneously seek allegorical or moral lessons in these bare succession notices, imposing spiritual typology where the text functions as a straightforward historical chronicle without judgment on the rulers' character or divine favor.
Genesis 36:38
King James Version (1769)
38 And Saul died, and Baal–hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
Genesis 36:38 records a link in the royal genealogy of Edom, Esau's descendants, noting the transition from King Saul of Rehoboth-by-the-river to Baal-hanan son of Achbor, illustrating the establishment of monarchical succession in Edom before any king ruled over Israel, which underscores God's sovereign ordering of nations and fulfills the promise to make Esau a great nation as prophesied to Rebekah, providing historical context for Israel's later interactions with its neighbors.