Genesis 33

Jacob Meets Esau

1Then Jacob looked up, and saw Esau coming with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2He put the maids and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3Then Jacob crossed over [the stream] ahead of them and bowed himself to the ground seven times [bowing and moving forward each time], until he approached his brother.

4But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and hugged his neck and kissed him, and they wept [for joy]. 5Esau looked up and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So Jacob replied, “They are the children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maids approached with their children, and they bowed down. 7Leah also approached with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel approached, and they bowed down. 8Esau asked, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he answered, “[These are] to find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10Jacob replied, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift [as a blessing] from my hand, for I see your face as if I had seen the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11Please accept my blessing (gift) which has been brought to you, for God has dealt graciously with me and I have everything [that I could possibly want].” So Jacob kept urging him and Esau accepted it.

12Then Esau said, “Let us get started on our journey and I will go in front of you [to lead the way].” 13But Jacob replied, “You know, my lord, that the children are frail and need gentle care, and the nursing flocks and herds [with young] are of concern to me; for if the men should drive them hard for a single day, all the flocks will die. 14Please let my lord go on ahead of his servant, and I will move on slowly, governed by the pace of the livestock that are in front of me and according to the endurance of the children, #Jacob must have been concerned about traveling through Edom and used this excuse to avoid following Esau to Seir. Indeed, he heads in the opposite direction.until I come to my lord in Seir [in Edom].”

15Then Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But Jacob said, “#Lit Why this?What need is there [for it]? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16So Esau turned back [toward the south] that day on his way to Seir. 17But Jacob journeyed [north] to Succoth, and built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock; so the name of the place is Succoth (huts, shelters).

Jacob Settles in Shechem

18When Jacob came from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely and in peace at the city of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, and camped in front of the [walled] city. 19Then he bought the piece of land on which he had pitched his tents from #Lit the hand of the sons.the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred #Heb qesitah, an uncertain measure of weight; a rabbi once reported hearing the ma’ah, a small coin worth 1/12 of a shekel, called a qesitah.pieces of money. 20There he erected an altar and called it #I.e. God, the mighty God of Israel.El-Elohe-Israel.

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Genesis 33

Jacob Meets Esau

1And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, #ch. 32:6Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3He himself went on before them, #ch. 18:2; 42:6; 43:26bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 # ch. 32:28 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him #ch. 45:14and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, #ch. 48:9; Ps. 127:3; Isa. 8:18“The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8Esau said, “What do you mean by #ch. 32:16 all this company#33:8 Hebrew camp that I met?” Jacob answered, #ver. 15; ch. 32:5“To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. #ch. 18:1; 19:1For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11Please accept my #2 Kgs. 5:15 blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he #[2 Sam. 13:25, 27; 2 Kgs. 5:23]urged him, and he took it.

12Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of#33:12 Or along with you.” 13But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 14Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord #ch. 32:3in Seir.”

15So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? #ver. 8; ch. 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 #ch. 32:3Seir. 17But Jacob journeyed to #Josh. 13:27; Judg. 8:5; Ps. 60:6Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.#33:17 Succoth means booths

18And Jacob came safely#33:18 Or peacefully to the city of #Josh. 24:1; Judg. 9:1; Ps. 60:6; Acts 7:16Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. 19And from the sons of #Acts 7:16 Hamor, Shechem’s father, #Josh. 24:32; John 4:5he bought for a hundred pieces of money#33:19 Hebrew a hundred qesitah; a unit of money of unknown value the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.#33:20 El-Elohe-Israel means God, the God of Israel

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