Genesis 36:35

Verse 35. Smote Midian in the field of Moab] Bishop Cumberland supposes that this was Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah, and that he was killed by Hadad some time before he was one hundred and nine years of age; and that Moses recorded this, probably, because it was a calamity to the ancestor of Jethro, his father-in-law. - Orig. of Nat., p. 14.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(35) Who smote Midian . . . —All memory of this exploit has passed away, and the complete silence of the Bible regarding every one of these kings, makes it probable that they belonged to an early date prior to the time in Israel when historical events were carefully recorded.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35. Hadad] A name familiar as that of a Syrian deity, occurring in the royal names “Ben-Hadad” and “Hadad-Ezer.” The defeat of “Midian in the field of Moab,” the solitary note of history, illustrates the extent to which the power of Edom at one time was developed. See note on the same name, Gen_25:2. Ewald conjectured that this king Hadad I was a contemporary of Gideon’s, and joined in resistance to the Midianite invasion, circ. 1100 (Judges 6 ff.).

Avith] LXX reads “Gittaim.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau,.... After the regal monarchy ceased, the government in Edom was by dukes, and of these there were two sons, one of which an account has been given of already, who were partly of the race of Seir, and partly of the race of Esau; and who were dukes not by succession, but together, in and over their respective families: and it may be observed, that neither Esau, nor his sons by his two first wives, Eliphaz and Reuel, are called dukes, only his three sons by his last wife; all the rest are his grandsons and sons of the two former, which seems to give some light as to the time when those dukedoms took place; and very probably it was by the joint influence of Seir and Esau, whose families had intermarried, that an end was put to the regal power, and who, for a course of years, governed in the above manner: and they of Esau's race in those times are said to be "dukes in the land of Edom", as a learned man (o) has observed; whereas those that follow, which are a second race of them, are called "dukes of Edom", Gen 36:43; who took possession of the country and ruled in it, driving out the Horites and succeeding in their stead: these are described

according to their families; they were the heads of:

after their places, by their names; the places where they lived, which were called after their names, and are as follow:

Duke Timnah, Duke Alvah, Duke Jetheth; these were both the names of the dukes, and of the places where they governed, called after their names; so Timnah or Themna, as Jerom calls it, is by him said to be a city of the princes of Edom, the same he says of Jetheth (p), so the like may be concluded of Alvah.

(o) Shuckford's Connection, p. 192. (p) De loc. Heb. fol. 92. F. 95. C.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And Husham died, and Hadad e.g. for joy (Gesenius); whence "Conqueror" (Furst)the son of Bedad, (Gesenius)who smote Midian (vide Gen_25:2) in the field of Moab, (vide Gen_19:37) reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith (Gesenius), "Twisting" (Murphy), "Hut-Village" (Furst). An attempt has been made (Bohlen) to identify this monarch with the Edomite of the same name who rose against Solomon; (1Ki_11:14) but

(1) this Hadad was not of royal blood, while Solomon"s contemporary was;

(2) this Hadad was a king, while Solomon"s adversary was only a pretender;

(3) this Hadad was a conqueror of the Midianites, while in Solomon"s time the Midianites had vanished from history; and

(4) this Hadad lived and reigned before Israel had any kings (vide Hengstenberg, "On the Genuineness of the Pentateuch," vol. 2. dissert. 6; and cf. Havernick"s "Introd.," and Keil in loco).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

המכה את מדין בשדה מואב WHO SMOTE MIDIAN IN THE FIELD OF MOAB — for Midian came to war against Moab and the king of Edom went to assist Moab. From here we learn that although Midian and Moab were at strife one with the other yet in the time of Balaam they made peace in order to band themselves against Israel (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 3).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

WHO SMOTE MIDIAN IN THE FIELD OF MOAB. The intent thereof is to tell of Hadad’s prowess, for the Midianites had come into the field of Moab to overpower them, but he was victorious over them all.Baal-hanan the son of Achbor was of the same place as Shaul of Rehoboth by the River, in whose stead he reigned, and therefore Scripture does not ascribe another city to him. It is possible that “Hanan” is the name of a place, and he was the master thereof, which accounts for his name Baal-hanan, and afterwards he became king.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.