Genesis 33

Jacob and Esau Meet

1Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, #Gen. 32:6Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3Then he crossed over before them and #Gen. 18:2; 42:6bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4#Gen. 32:28But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, #Gen. 45:14, 15and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?”

So he said, “The children #Gen. 48:9; (Ps. 127:3); Is. 8:18whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.

8Then Esau said, “What do you mean by #Gen. 32:13–16all this company which I met?”

And he said, “These are #Gen. 32:5to find favor in the sight of my lord.”

9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”

10And Jacob said, “No, please, if I #Gen. 43:3; 2 Sam. 3:13; 14:24, 28, 32have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11Please, take #Judg. 1:15; 1 Sam. 25:27; 30:26my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt #Gen. 30:43; Ex. 33:19graciously with me, and because I have enough.” #2 Kin. 5:23So he urged him, and he took it.

12Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.”

13But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. 14Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord #Gen. 32:3; 36:8in Seir.”

15And Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.”

But he said, “What need is there? #Gen. 34:11; 47:25; Ruth 2:13Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17And Jacob journeyed to #Josh. 13:27; Judg. 8:5; Ps. 60:6Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Jacob Comes to Canaan

18Then Jacob came safely to #John 3:23the city of #Gen. 12:6; 35:4; Josh. 24:1; Judg. 9:1; Ps. 60:6Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. 19And #Josh. 24:32; John 4:5he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20Then he erected an altar there and called it #Gen. 35:7El Elohe Israel.

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Genesis 33

Jacob meets Esau

1Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. 5Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. ‘Who are these with you?’ he asked.

Jacob answered, ‘They are the children God has graciously given your servant.’

6Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down. 7Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.

8Esau asked, ‘What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?’

‘To find favour in your eyes, my lord,’ he said.

9But Esau said, ‘I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.’

10‘No, please!’ said Jacob. ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favourably. 11Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.’ And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.

12Then Esau said, ‘Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.’

13But Jacob said to him, ‘My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.’

15Esau said, ‘Then let me leave some of my men with you.’

‘But why do that?’ Jacob asked. ‘Just let me find favour in the eyes of my lord.’

16So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.#33:17 Sukkoth means shelters.

18After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,#33:18 That is, North-west Mesopotamia he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19For a hundred pieces of silver,#33:19 Hebrew hundred kesitahs; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value. he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. 20There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.#33:20 El Elohe Israel can mean El is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®

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