Genesis 33
33
1And Jacob lifting up his eyes saw Esau coming, and with him four hundred men; and he divided the children of Lia, and of Rachel, and of the two handmaids:
2And he put both the handmaids and their children foremost: and Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel and Joseph last.
3And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times, until his brother came near.
4Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and clasping him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept.
5And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their children, and said: What mean these? And do they belong to thee? He answered: They are the children which God hath given to me thy servant.
6Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed themselves.
7Lia also with her children came near, and bowed down in like manner: and last of all Joseph and Rachel bowed down.
8And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favor before my lord.
9But he said: I have plenty, my brother; keep what is thine for thyself.
10And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found favor in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have seen thy face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be gracious to me,
11And take the blessing, which I have brought thee, and which God hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it with much ado at his brother's earnest pressing him,
12And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey.
13And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me tender children, and sheep, and kine with young: which, if I should cause to be overdriven, in one day all the flocks will die.
14May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be able, until I come to my lord in Seir.
15Esau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people at least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the way. And he said: There is no necessity; I want nothing else but only to find favour, my lord, in thy sight.
16So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir.
17And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents.
18And he passed over to Salem, a city of the Sichemites, which is in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria: and he dwelt by the town.
19And he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem for a hundred lambs.
20And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel.
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Genesis 33
33
Jacob Meets Esau
1Jacob saw Esau coming with his four hundred 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 around him, and kissed him. They were both crying. 5When Esau looked around 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 favor.”
9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have.”
10Jacob said, “No, please, if I have gained your favor, 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 get ready and leave. I will go ahead of you.”
13Jacob answered, “You know that the children are weak, and I must think of the sheep and livestock 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 favor.”#33.15: for I only want to gain your favor; 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#Js 24.32; Jn 4.5 He 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 for El, the God of Israel.
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