Genesis 33
33
Jacob Meets Esau
1Jacob saw Esau coming with his 400 men, so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two concubines. 2He put the concubines and their children first, then Leah and her children, and finally Rachel and Joseph at the rear. 3Jacob went ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. 4But Esau ran to meet him, threw his arms round him, and kissed him. They were both crying. 5When Esau looked round and saw the women and the children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?”
“These, sir, are the children whom God has been good enough to give me,” Jacob answered. 6Then the concubines came up with their children and bowed down; 7then Leah and her children came, and last of all Joseph and Rachel came and bowed down.
8Esau asked, “What about that other group I met? What did that mean?”
Jacob answered, “It was to gain your favour.”
9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have.”
10Jacob said, “No, please, if I have gained your favour, accept my gift. To see your face is for me like seeing the face of God, now that you have been so friendly to me. 11Please accept this gift which I have brought for you; God has been kind to me and given me everything I need.” Jacob kept on urging him until he accepted.
12Esau said, “Let's prepare to leave. I will go ahead of you.”
13Jacob answered, “You know that the children are weak, and I must think of the sheep and cattle with their young. If they are driven hard for even one day, the whole herd will die. 14Please go on ahead of me, and I will follow slowly, going as fast as I can with the livestock and the children until I catch up with you in Edom.”
15Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”
But Jacob answered, “There is no need for that for I only want to gain your favour.”#33.15 for I only want to gain your favour; or if it's all right with you. 16So that day Esau started on his way back to Edom. 17But Jacob went to Sukkoth, where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Sukkoth.#33.17 Sukkoth: This name in Hebrew means “shelters”.
18On his return from Mesopotamia Jacob arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan and set up his camp in a field near the city. 19#Josh 24.32; Jn 4.5He bought that part of the field from the descendants of Hamor father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver. 20He put up an altar there and named it after El, the God of Israel.
Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Genesis 33
33
Genesis 33
1¶ And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, Esau came and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah and unto Rachel and unto the two handmaids.
2And he put the handmaids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.
3And he passed over in front of them and bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother.
4And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
5¶ And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children whom God hath graciously given thy slave.
6Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
7And Leah also with her children came near and bowed themselves; and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they also bowed themselves.
8And he said, What meanest thou by all these droves which I met? And he said, To find grace in the sight of my lord.
9And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep what thou hast unto thyself.
10And Jacob said, No, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present from my hand, that for this I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God; and do me the pleasure.
11Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee because God has dealt graciously with me, and all that is here is mine. And he urged him, and he took it.
12And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
13And he said unto him, My lord knows that the children are tender, and the sheep and cows with young are with me; and if men should overdrive them, in one day all the sheep will die.
14Let my lord, I pray thee, pass before his slave; and I will lead on softly, according as the property that goes before me and the children are able to endure until I come unto my lord unto Seir.
15And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What for? Let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
16¶ So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
17And Jacob journeyed to Succoth and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18And Jacob came safe and sound to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram, and pitched his tent before the city.
19And he bought part of the field where he had spread his tent, from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred ewes.
20And there he erected an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel (the Strong God of Israel).
The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International