Genesis 33

Jacob and Esau Meet

1Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.

4But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; 7Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor with my lord.” 9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10Jacob said, “No, please; if I find favor with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you have received me with such favor. 11Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want.” So he urged him, and he took it.

12Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go alongside you.” 13But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds, which are nursing, are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. 14Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why should my lord be so kind to me?” 16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17But Jacob journeyed to Succoth,#33.17 That is Booths and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the place is called Succoth.

Jacob Reaches Shechem

18Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram; and he camped before the city. 19And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for one hundred pieces of money#33.19 Heb one hundred qesitah the plot of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.#33.20 That is God, the God of Israel

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 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.

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