Genesis 33
33
1Jacob saw Esau in the distance, coming towards him with four hundred men. So he split up the children between Leah, Rachel and the two personal maids. 2He placed the two personal maids with their children first, then Leah and her children, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3Then Jacob went ahead of them and bowed low to the ground seven times before approaching his brother. 4Esau ran over to him and hugged him. He put his arms around his neck and kissed him. The two of them wept.
5Then Esau looked around at the women and children. “Who are these people with you?” he asked.
“They are the children God graciously gave your servant,” Jacob replied.
6The personal maids and their children came over and bowed down. 7Then Leah and her children came over and bowed down. Lastly Joseph and Rachel came over and bowed down.
8“What were all the livestock for that I met on the way?” Esau asked.
“They're a gift to you my lord so you'd treat me well,” Jacob answered.
9“I have more than enough, my brother! You keep what you have,” said Esau.
10“No, please!” Jacob insisted. “If you're happy with me, then please accept the gift I'm giving you. Now I've seen your face again it's like seeing the face of God, and you have welcomed me so kindly! 11Please take the gift I've brought to you because God has treated me so well and I have so much.” So Esau accepted it.
12“Let's get on our way,” Esau said. “I'll go ahead of you.”
13“My lord can see that the children are weak,” Jacob responded. “Also, the goats, sheep, and cattle are nursing their young, and if I push them too hard, they'll all die. 14You go on, my lord, and your servant will come along slowly, walking with the children, and I'll meet you at Seir.”
15“Fine, but let me leave some of my men with you,” said Esau.
“You're very kind, but there's no need to do that,” Jacob replied.
16So Esau started on his way back to Seir that day. 17But Jacob headed to Succoth, where he built himself a house and shelters for the livestock. That's why the place is called Succoth.#33:17. “Succoth” means “shelters” or “stalls.”
18Later Jacob continued his journey from Paddan-aram. He arrived safely at Shechem in the country of Canaan where he camped outside the town. 19He bought the plot of ground where he was camping from the sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem, for 100 pieces of money.#33:19. “Pieces of money”: literally, “kesitah,” whose value is unknown. 20He built an altar there and called it El-Elohe-Israel.#33:20. “El-Elohe-Israel”: meaning “God is the God of Israel.”
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Genesis 33
33
Esau forgives Jacob
1Jacob looked up and saw Esau approaching with four hundred men. Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two women servants. 2He put the servants and their children first, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3He himself went in front of them and bowed to the ground seven times as he was approaching his brother. 4But Esau ran to meet him, threw his arms around his neck, kissed him, and they wept. 5Esau looked up and saw the women and children and said, “Who are these with you?”
Jacob said, “The children that God generously gave your servant.” 6The women servants and their children came forward and bowed down. 7Then Leah and her servants also came forward and bowed, and afterward Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed.
8Esau said, “What’s the meaning of this entire group of animals that I met?”
Jacob said, “To ask for my master’s kindness.”
9Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what’s yours.”
10Jacob said, “No, please, do me the kindness of accepting my gift. Seeing your face is like seeing God’s face, since you’ve accepted me so warmly. 11Take this present that I’ve brought because God has been generous to me, and I have everything I need.” So Jacob persuaded him, and he took it.
12Esau said, “Let’s break camp and set out, and I’ll go with you.”
13But Jacob said to him, “My master knows that the children aren’t strong and that I am responsible for the nursing flocks and cattle. If I push them hard for even one day, all of the flocks will die. 14My master, go on ahead of your servant, but I’ve got to take it easy, going only as fast as the animals in front of me and the children are able to go, until I meet you in Seir.”
15Esau said, “Let me leave some of my people with you.”
But Jacob said, “Why should you do this since my master has already been so kind to me?” 16That day Esau returned on the road to Seir, 17but Jacob traveled to Succoth. He built a house for himself but made temporary shelters for his animals; therefore, he named the place Succoth.#33.17 Or temporary shelters
Dinah and the conflict at Shechem
18Jacob arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan on his trip from Paddan-aram, and he camped in front of the city. 19He bought the section of the field where he pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred qesitahs.#33.19 A monetary weight 20Then he set up an altar there and named it El Elohe Israel.#33.20 Or El, God of Israel
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