B'resheet (Gen) 33
33
1Ya‘akov raised his eyes and looked out; and there was ‘Esav coming, and four hundred men with him. So Ya‘akov divided the children between Le’ah, Rachel and the two slave-girls, 2putting the slave-girls and their children first, Le’ah and her children second, and Rachel and Yosef last. 3Then he himself passed on ahead of them and prostrated himself on the ground seven times before approaching his brother. 4‘Esav ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him; and they wept. 5Esav looked up; on seeing the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” Ya‘akov answered, “The children God has graciously given to your servant.”
(iv) 6Then the slave-girls approached with their children, and they prostrated themselves; 7Le’ah too and her children approached and prostrated themselves; and last came Yosef and Rachel; and they prostrated themselves. 8‘Esav asked, “What was the meaning of this procession of droves I encountered?” and he answered, “It was to win my lord’s favor.” 9‘Esav replied, “I have plenty already; my brother, keep your possessions for yourself.” 10Ya‘akov said, “No, please! If now I have won your favor, then accept my gift. Just seeing your face has been like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me. 11So please accept the gift I have brought you, for God has dealt kindly with me and I have enough.” Thus he urged him, until he accepted it.
12‘Esav said, “Let’s break camp and get going. I’ll go first.” 13Ya‘akov said to him, “My lord knows that the children are small, and the sheep and cattle suckling their young concern me, because if they overdrive them even one day, all the flocks will die. 14Instead, please, let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the cattle ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Se‘ir.” 15‘Esav replied, “Then let me leave with you some of the people I have with me.” But Ya‘akov said, “There’s no need for my lord to be so kind to me.” 16So ‘Esav left that day to return to Se‘ir. 17Ya‘akov went on to Sukkot, where he built himself a house and put up shelters for his cattle. This is why the place is called Sukkot [shelters].
18Having traveled from Paddan-Aram, Ya‘akov arrived safely at the city of Sh’khem, in Kena‘an, and set up camp near the city. 19From the sons of Hamor Sh’khem’s father he bought for one hundred pieces of silver the parcel of land where he had pitched his tent. 20There he put up an altar, which he called El-Elohei-Yisra’el [God, the God of Isra’el].
For more information and to purchase a hard copy of the Complete Jewish Bible,
Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleBerĕshith (Genesis) 33
33
1And Ya‛aqoḇ lifted his eyes and looked and saw Ěsaw coming, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children among Lĕ’ah, and Raḥĕl, and the two female servants.
2And he put the female servants and their children in front, and Lĕ’ah and her children behind, and Raḥĕl and Yosĕph last.
3And he himself passed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4And Ěsaw ran to meet him, and embraced him, and 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?” And he said, “The children with whom Elohim has favoured your servant.”
6Then the female servants came near, they and their children, and bowed themselves.
7And Lĕ’ah also came near with her children, and they bowed themselves. And Yosĕph and Raḥĕl came near, and they bowed themselves.
8Then Ěsaw said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “To find favour in the eyes of my master.”
9But Ěsaw said, “I have enough, my brother, let what you have remain yours.”
10And Ya‛aqoḇ said, “No, please, if I have now found favour in your eyes, then receive my present from my hand, because I have seen your face like seeing the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me.
11Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because Elohim has favoured me, and because I have all I need.” And he urged him, and he took it.
12And he said, “Let us depart and go, and let me go before you.”
13But he said to him, “My master 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 flocks shall die.
14Please let my master go before his servant, and let me lead on slowly according to the pace of the livestock that go before me, and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my master in Sĕ‛ir.
15And Ěsaw said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why this? Let me find favour in the eyes of my master.”
16And Ěsaw returned that day on his way to Sĕ‛ir.
17And Ya‛aqoḇ set out to Sukkoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. That is why the name of the place is called Sukkoth.
18And Ya‛aqoḇ came safely to the city of Sheḵem, which is in the land of Kena‛an, when he came from Paddan Aram. And he pitched his tent before the city.
19And he bought the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Ḥamor, Sheḵem’s father, for one hundred qesitah.#A monetary unit of uncertain value, perhaps in the form of a lamb.
20And he set up a slaughter-place there and called it Ěl Elohĕ Yisra’ĕl.
Copyright© 1993 – 2015 by the Institute for Scripture Research (ISR). All rights reserved.