Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 36:6

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 countrey from the face of his brother Jacob.

Quest. 1. Why went he thither? Answ. Partly by his own choice, that Wild and Mountainous Countrey being very commodious for hunting to which he wholly addicted himself; partly by his Wives perswasions who were both utterly averse from cohabitation with Isaac or Iacob, and strongly inclined to their own Country; but principally from the secret conduct of Divine Providence thus accomplishing his promises. See Ios. 24. 4. Ma[illegible: 1+ letters]. 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 Iacobs return to Canaan, as appears from Gen. 32. 3. and 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 Iacob 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 alledged; and partly to avoid all occasion both of Communication and Contention with his Brother.

(i. e.) Further up into the Country: Or, into another Country, as the Chaldee renders it, namely into Seir: The word another being supplyed. If that seem too bold a supplement, the place may be rendred thus, he went into a Land distant or remote from the face of his brother, which supplement lies hid and is implied in the word Mipne, from the face: Or thus, he went out of the Land: For so the Hebrew preposition El is sometimes used for Min, which signifies off or out of, as appears by comparing 1 King. 8. 30. with 2 Chron. 6. 21. and Isaiah 59. 20. Rom. 11. 26. and Iudg. 17. 2. 2 Chron. 1. 13. and many other places.

Marginal references: Heb. souls.