These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: chiefs translates a Hebrew term related to the word meaning “thousand.” The reference is to a political unit and not to an individual, as chief suggests in Revised Standard Version. The term is used in reference to a political group in Judges 6.15 (“clan”); 1 Sam 10.19 (“thousands”). However, the expression “clans of the sons of Esau” is unclear without defining the relation between the sons and the particular clan name. The crucial point is that the sons of Esau were the originators or ancestors of the clans or tribes that bore their names. Accordingly Good News Translation is quite right when it translates “These are the tribes [clans] descended from Esau.”

Because these men are described as descendants of Eliphaz in verse 15 and are listed again as clan heads in verse 16, it may be best to combine the two verses. In this way we may restructure these two verses; for example, “Here are the names of the clans that descended from Esau: the clans of Teman, Omar … Amalek. Eliphaz, the first son of Esau and Adah, was their ancestor.”

At the beginning of verse 16 Korah is included. Many versions omit Korah at this point because this name appears to have been introduced by error from verse 18. The omission of Korah in verse 16 is supported by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project.

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 .