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

1Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves. 2He put the female slaves and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3He himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground # Gn 18:2; 42:6; 43:26 seven times until he approached his brother.

4But Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept. # Gn 45:14 5When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you? ”

He answered, “The children God has graciously given your servant.” # Gn 48:9; Ps 127:3; Is 8:18 6Then the female slaves and their children approached him and bowed down. 7Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.

8So Esau said, “What do you mean by this whole procession # Lit camp I met? ” # Gn 32:13-16

“To find favor with you, my lord,” # Gn 32:5 he answered.

9“I have enough, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what you have.”

10But Jacob said, “No, please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me. 11Please take my present that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have everything I need.” So Jacob urged him until he accepted.

12Then Esau said, “Let’s move on, and I’ll go ahead of you.”

13Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and I have nursing sheep and cattle. If they are driven hard for one day, the whole herd will die. 14Let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a pace suited to the livestock and the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”

15Esau said, “Let me leave some of my people with you.”

But he replied, “Why do that? Please indulge me, # Lit May I find favor in your eyes my lord.” # Gn 34:11; 47:25; Ru 2:13

16That day Esau started on his way back to Seir, 17but Jacob went on to Succoth. He built a house for himself and stalls for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth. # = Stalls or Huts # Jos 13:27; Jdg 8:5; Ps 60:6

18After Jacob came from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely # Gn 28:21 at Shechem # Jos 24:1; Jdg 9:1; Ps 60:6; Ac 7:16 in the land of Canaan and camped in front of the city. 19He purchased a section of the field where he had pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for 100 qesitahs. # The value of this currency is unknown. # Jos 24:32; Jn 4:5 20And he set up an altar there and called it “God, the God of Israel.” # Or El-Elohe-Israel

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