Verses 6-8 do not contain a list of descendants and therefore are not given a separate heading in this Handbook. Verse 6 explains that Esau moved all of his people and property to separate himself from Jacob. Verse 7 explains the reason for the migration, and verse 8 concludes the migration account. Translators who wish to place verses 6-8 under a special heading may say, for example, “Esau migrates to Seir,” “Esau moves his people and animals to Edom.”

Then Esau took his wives … Canaan: for a similar account of Abraham taking his possessions and migrating, see 12.5.

All the members of his household is literally “all the souls of his house.” Some understand these to be Esau’s servants, and others take it to refer to those related to him. It probably refers to everyone who was in some way attached to his camp: slaves, servants, and relatives. Therefore it is best to translate “and all the people of his camp” or “and all the rest who belonged to his camp.”

Cattle and beasts means “his livestock” or “his animals.” Property is the same word as used in 34.23 and refers to moveable possessions.

Acquired in the land of Canaan: that is, “that he had gotten while he lived in the country of Canaan” or “he had become the owner of all these while he was still living in Canaan.”

Went into a land away from his brother Jacob: some versions follow the ancient src Syriacsrc* version, which has “He went to the land of Seir.” See Gen 36.8. The ancient Targums have “another [land],” which appears to be the basis for the Good News Translation rendering, or the way in which Good News Translation interprets the Hebrew. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates the wording as a {B} and recommends translating “into a land [which was] distant [literally away] from Jacob.” See 25.6 for a similar situation, in which the other sons of Abraham moved away from Isaac.

In some languages it is more natural to place this last clause first: “Esau left his brother Jacob and went to live in another place. He took his wives … and went.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .