Now Esau saw …: Now renders the common Hebrew connective, which is understood by Revised Standard Version to be a transition marker to this brief episode. Some modern translations treat the opening of verse 6 as a dependent time clause: “When Esau saw that….” However, beginning verse 6 with a dependent clause makes verse 7 a second similar clause, and the result is a long and front-heavy sentence in English. The same is true of the structure of Revised Standard Version. Therefore it is often better to make the first part of verse 6 a statement, as in Good News Translation, and to break verses 6 and 7 into two sentences.

Saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob: it is difficult to tell from the text whether or not Esau was present when Isaac blessed Jacob. However, the text uses saw to express Esau’s knowledge of this event. In many languages a word like “learned,” “found out,” “discovered” may be more appropriate. A number of translations have “Esau heard” or “Esau heard news that….” The act of blessing Jacob refers to verses 3 and 4.

Sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there: Paddan-aram is as in Gen 28.5. See verse 2 for wording similar to this statement.

And that as he blessed him: Revised Standard Version treats this as the introduction to the quoted command. Others like Good News Translation make a new sentence and repeat the verb “learned”: “He also learned that when Isaac blessed him….”

Charged him means Isaac ordered, directed, or told Jacob.

You shall not marry one of the Canaanite women: Revised Standard Version uses direct speech, which repeats the quote given in Gen 28.1. Note that in verse 6 Good News Translation uses indirect speech. Translators must decide which is stylistically better in their languages.

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 .