The Meaning of Genesis 36:6 Explained

Genesis 36:6

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Esau taketh 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 hath acquired in the land of Canaan, and goeth into the country from the face of Jacob his brother;

Darby: And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his possessions, that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went into a country away from his brother Jacob.

ASV: And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his possessions, which he had gather in the land of Canaan; and went into a land away from his brother Jacob.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 36:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 36:1-8 - Jacob's Sons Esau's Sons Isaac's Death
From Bethel to Bethlehem is not far. The one, the House of God; the other, the House of Bread. We need them both, if we are to bear up under the repeated shocks of life, such as the death of the old nurse Deborah, the death of our beloved Rachels, the sins of our children, and the breakup of the old home, as when our father is borne to his grave. Well was it for Jacob that he had got right with God before these repeated waves broke upon him. Isaac had not lived a great life, but his full years gave him a claim on the veneration of his sons, who forgot their jealousies and feuds as they stood together at his bier. But how greatly men misjudge death. It is not the end, but the beginning. We find hereafter Isaac associated with Abraham and Jacob, as welcoming the saints homeward. Death greatens good men! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 36

1  Esau's three wives
6  His removal to mount Seir
9  His sons
15  The dukes which descended of his sons
20  The sons and dukes of Seir the Horite
24  Anah finds mules
31  The kings of Edom
40  The dukes that descended of Esau

What do the individual words in Genesis 36:6 mean?

And took Esau - his wives and his sons his daughters all the persons of his household his livestock his animals and his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan and went to a country away from the presence of Jacob his brother
וַיִּקַּ֣ח עֵשָׂ֡ו אֶת־ נָ֠שָׁיו וְאֶת־ בָּנָ֣יו בְּנֹתָיו֮ כָּל־ נַפְשׁ֣וֹת בֵּיתוֹ֒ מִקְנֵ֣הוּ בְּהֶמְתּ֗וֹ וְאֵת֙ קִנְיָנ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָכַ֖שׁ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־ אֶ֔רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֥ב אָחִֽיו

וַיִּקַּ֣ח  And  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
עֵשָׂ֡ו  Esau 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשָׂו  
Sense: eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נָ֠שָׁיו  his  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
בָּנָ֣יו  his  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְּנֹתָיו֮  his  daughters 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
נַפְשׁ֣וֹת  the  persons 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
בֵּיתוֹ֒  of  his  household 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
מִקְנֵ֣הוּ  his  livestock 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִקְנֶה  
Sense: cattle, livestock.
בְּהֶמְתּ֗וֹ  his  animals 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
קִנְיָנ֔וֹ  his  goods 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קִנְיָן  
Sense: thing acquired, acquisition, possession, purchased property, wealth.
רָכַ֖שׁ  he  had  gained 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָכַשׁ  
Sense: (Qal) to collect or gather property.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
כְּנָ֑עַן  of  Canaan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנַעַן 
Sense: the 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine.
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ  and  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אֶ֔רֶץ  a  country 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִפְּנֵ֖י  away  from  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יַעֲקֹ֥ב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
אָחִֽיו  his  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.