Genesis 36:31 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Before there reigned, &c.— Some remark, that this could not have been said till after there had been a king in Israel, and therefore (say they) these cannot be the words of Moses, but must have been afterwards interpolated. Others understand Moses to speak prophetically, since it appears from chap. Genesis 17:6, and Deuteronomy 17:14, that he foresaw there were to be kings in Israel. But the truth is, that the words rendered king, and reigned, may, and ought to be understood only of dominion, or rule in the general, not of royal dominion. The preceding verse shews this: for thence it is plain, that the kings spoken of here, are no other than the dukes, or leaders, spoken of there: and therefore the verse might, with much propriety, be rendered, "these are the governors who governed in the land of Edom, before there was any governor over the children of Israel." And in this view all is clear. Dr. Wall remarks on this verse, that it was the custom of those times to call any one king of a people, who had in any way the rule, government, or superiority over them. And thus Moses was king in Jeshurun, or Israel; so that this is no more than to say, all these kings or governors in Edom were before Moses's time.