בראשית, פרק ל״ו, פסוק ח׳

Esau's arrival in the mountainous region of Seir represents a major turning point in his life, marking the establishment of his permanent home and the solidifying of his identity. This transition was a complete and absolute settling down. While Esau had been seen in the area of Seir much earlier—even before Jacob returned from his long absence—it was not yet his actual home. At that earlier stage, his family and wealth remained behind in the land of Canaan. It was only after Jacob fully returned that Esau uprooted his life and moved his entire household to Seir.

Understanding this timeline brings clarity to the earlier reunion between the two brothers. During that encounter, Esau was not yet a resident of Seir; he was simply in the middle of a journey toward that region [רש״ר הירש]. The final transition of Esau into this new land also sets the stage for the future. His identity becomes permanently linked with the name Edom, explaining the historical development of an entire nation. From this point forward, all of his descendants would be known as Edomites, carrying his legacy into the future [ביאור שטיינזלץ].