Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 36:6
And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
6 8. Esau in Mount Seir
6. a land away from his brother Jacob ] The Syr. reads “the land of Seir,” which is possibly the original reading. The Lat. abiit in alteram regionem. The present passage ignores the previous mention of Esau’s residence in “the land of Seir, the field of Edom,” Gen 32:3. Seir was the mountainous country between the Dead Sea and the Elamitic Gulf.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. Esau took his wives, c.] So it appears that Esau and Jacob dwelt together in Canaan, whither the former removed from Seir, probably soon after the return of Jacob. That they were on the most friendly footing this sufficiently proves and Esau shows the same dignified conduct as on other occasions, in leaving Canaan to Jacob, and returning again to Mount Seir; certainly a much less fruitful region than that which he now in behalf of his brother voluntarily abandoned.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
1740
Quest.
1. Why went he thither?
Answ. Partly by his own choice, that wild and mountainous country being very commodious for hunting, to which he wholly addicted himself; partly by his wives persuasions, who were both utterly averse from cohabitation with Isaac or Jacob, and strongly inclined to their own country; but principally from the secret conduct of Divine Providence, thus accomplishing his promises. See Jos 24:4; Mal 1:3.
Quest.
2. When went he thither?
Answ. He went thither before this time in discontent at his parents, and dwelt in Seir before Jacobs return to Canaan, as appears from Gen 32:3; 33:14,16; yet so as he came sometimes to Canaan, and to his fathers house, and did not quit his interest in his fathers estate. But when his father was dead, and Jacob and he agreed about the partition of the estate, he did totally and finally forsake Canaan, partly, for the reason here following; partly, for the other reasons now alleged; and partly, to avoid all occasion both of communication and contention with his brother.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6, 7. Esau . . . went into thecountry from the face of his brother Jacobliterally, “acountry,” without any certain prospect of a settlement. Thedesign of this historical sketch of Esau and his family is to showhow the promise (Gen 27:39;Gen 27:40) was fulfilled. Intemporal prosperity he far exceeds his brother; and it is remarkablethat, in the overruling providence of God, the vast increase of hisworldly substance was the occasion of his leaving Canaan and thusmaking way for the return of Jacob.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters,…. The names of his wives and sons are before given; but what were the names of his daughters, or their number, is not said:
and all the persons of his house: his menservants and maidservants that were born in his house, or bought with his money; the word for “persons” signifies “souls” o, and is sometimes used for slaves that are bought and sold, see Eze 27:13:
and his cattle, and all his beasts; his sheep and oxen, camels and asses:
and all his substance which he had got in the land of Canaan: before he went to Seir the first time, part of which he might leave behind in Canaan, with servants to improve it; and also that part of his father’s personal estate which fell to him at his death, as well as what he might further acquire after his death, during his stay in Canaan:
and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob; not into another part of the same country; but into another country, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan supply it, and so the Arabic version, even unto Seir, as appears by what follows; and whither he had been before, and had obtained large possessions, and now having got all he could at his father’s death, and collecting together all his other substance, thought fit to retire from thence to Seir, which he liked better, and for a reason afterwards given; God thus disposing his mind, and making the circumstances of things necessary, that he should remove in order to make way for Jacob, and his posterity, to dwell in a land which was designed for them: and so the Samaritan and Septuagint versions read it, “and he went out of the land of Canaan”: and the Syriac version is, “and he went to the land of Seir”. Some render the words to this sense, that he went thither “before the coming of Jacob” p; and it is true that he did go thither before his brother came again into Canaan; but of this the text speaks not, for what follows will not agree with it; others better, “because of Jacob” q; not for fear of him, as the Targum of Jonathan, which paraphrases the words,
“for the terror of his brother Jacob was cast upon him;”
but because he knew, by the blessing of his father, and the oracle of God, and his concurring providence in all things, that the land of Canaan belonged to him, and also for a reason that follows.
o “animus”, Pagninus, Montanus, &c. p “ante adventum”, Jahakobi, Junius & Tremellius. q “Propter Jacobum”, Piscarat.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. And went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. Moses does not mean that Esau departed purposely to give place to his brother; for he was so proud and ferocious, that he never would have allowed himself to seem his brother’s inferior. But Moses, without regard to Esau’s design, commends the secret providence of God, by which he was driven into exile, that the possession of the land might remain free for Jacob alone. Esau removed to Mount Seir, through the desire of present advantage, as is elsewhere stated. Nothing was less in his mind than to provide for his brother’s welfare; but God directed the blind man by his own hand, that he might not occupy that place in the land which he had appointed for his own servant. Thus it often happens that the wicked do good to the elect children of God, contrary to their own intention; and while their hasty cupidity pants for present advantages, they promote the eternal salvation of those whose destruction they have sometimes desired. Let us, then, learn from the passage before us, to see, by the eyes of faith, both in accidental circumstances (as they are called) and in the evil desires of men, that secret providence of God, which directs all events to a result predetermined by himself. For when Esau went forth, that he might live more commodiously apart from his father’s family, he is said to have departed from the face of his brother, because the Lord had so determined it. It is stated indefinitely, that he departed “into the country;” because, being in uncertainty respecting his plan, he sought a home in various places, until Mount Seir presented itself; and as we say, he went out at a venture. (129)
(129) Quemadmodum Gallice dicitur, Il s’en est alle a son aventure.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) Into the country from the face.Heb. into a land away from the face, &c.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 36:6. Esau took his wives Esau, in all probability, had returned from Seir, after his conquest of the country and establishment there, and settled near his father Isaac; but finding the country of Canaan, in which the whole family were strangers, not sufficient for the increasing stock of Jacob and himself, he determined to return, and take up his abode again in Seir: this seems the plain state of the case. Instead of into the country, at the end of the verse, the Samaritan and LXX both read, out of the land of Canaan: though, probably, it might be read, went into HIS country, that is, to mount Seir, which he formerly possessed; and where he now settled with all his family, Gen 36:8 and whence, in process of time, his posterity drove the Horites entirely.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 13:11Gen 13:11 ; Deu 2:5 ; Jos 24:4 . Concerning Esau’s wealth, I would say with one of old: Psa 17:14-15 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 36:6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
Ver. 6. From the face of his brother Jacob. ] Or, Before the coming of his brother Jacob; by a special providence of God, to make room for the right heir. It is he that “determineth the bounds of our habitations.” Act 17:26 It was he that espied out this land for his peculiar people; and that kept the room empty all the time of the Babylonish captivity, till the return of the natives; though it were a pleasant country, left destitute of inhabitants, and surrounded with many warlike nations. Piscator renders this text, propter Iacobum, and expounds it, Because he knew that the land of Canaan should be Jacob’s, according to God’s promise made to him in his father’s blessing of him. But I doubt whether Esau would yield to him for any such reason.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 36:6-8
6Then Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all his household, and his livestock and all his cattle and all his goods which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. 7For their property had become too great for them to live together, and the land where they sojourned could not sustain them because of their livestock. 8So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom.
Gen 36:6 “Esau took his wives and his sons. . .and went to another land away from his brother Jacob” The reason for this separation is mentioned in chapter 36 as the need for more pasture land (cf. Gen 36:7). However, theologically, it seems to be related to the fact that Jacob was the true heir (i.e., Isaac’s blessing) of the land of Palestine and when he returned he inherited his father Isaac’s flocks as well as his own.
Gen 36:8 “So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom” It is quite possible that during the years of Jacob’s absence Esau moved his flocks from Seir back to Canaan at different times of the year and this account simply states that he stayed in Seir (cf. Gen 32:3). However, this is uncertain. Mt. Seir became the traditional name for the nation of Edom.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, App-6, pointing with emphasis to each item.
persons = souls, Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Canaan. Esau’s sons, born in the land wen t out of it. Jacob’s sons, all born out of it and went into it.
Jacob. “Unto Seir” should be added, according to Ginsburg Hebrew Text.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
am cir, 2264, bc cir, 1740
persons: Heb. souls, Eze 27:13, Rev 18:13
went: Gen 13:6, Gen 13:11, Gen 17:8, Gen 25:23, Gen 28:4, Gen 32:3
Reciprocal: Gen 21:10 – Cast out Gen 21:14 – took Gen 25:33 – and he sold Gen 27:39 – Behold Gen 36:5 – in the land
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 36:6. Esau took his wives and all his substance, &c. Although he had begun to settle among his wives relations in Seir, before Jacob came from Padan-aram, Gen 32:3; yet, it is probable, that during the life of Isaac, he had still some effects remaining in Canaan; but after his death, he wholly withdrew to mount Seir, took with him what came to his share of his fathers personal estate, and left Canaan to Jacob, not only because Jacob had the promise of it, but because he saw, if they should both continue to thrive, as they had begun, there would not be room for both.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
36:6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and {c} went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
(c) In this, God’s providence appears, which causes the wicked to give place to the godly, that Jacob might enjoy Canaan according to God’s promise.