Did Genesis 36 happen before Genesis 32?

Question

In Genesis 36:6-8 (NASB)

6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all his household, and his livestock and all his cattle, and all his property which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions had become too great for them to live together, and the land where they resided could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom.

but in Genesis 32:3 (NASB)

3 Then Jacob sent messengers ahead of himself to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Did Genesis 36 happen before Genesis 32?

Answer 1

Did Genesis 36 happen before Genesis 32?

Probably not.

At the time of Genesis 32:3, he had already acquired some properties in Seir and he was physically there, so the messenger went there. His main possession was still in Canaan as we see later on in Genesis 36:6

Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all his household, and his livestock and all his cattle, and all his property which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob.

Ellicott explains it this way:

The land of Seir was a hundred miles distant from Mahanaim, but Esau apparently had been moving up through what were afterwards the countries of Moab and Ammon, and was probably, when Jacob sent his messengers, at no very great distance. At all events, Jacob remained at Mahanaim till his brother was near, when he crossed the brook Jabbok, and went to meet him.