1Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, #Gen. 32:6Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3Then he crossed over before them and #Gen. 18:2; 42:6bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4#Gen. 32:28But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, #Gen. 45:14, 15and 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?”

So he said, “The children #Gen. 48:9; (Ps. 127:3); Is. 8:18whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.

8Then Esau said, “What do you mean by #Gen. 32:13–16all this company which I met?”

And he said, “These are #Gen. 32:5to find favor in the sight of my lord.”

9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”

10And Jacob said, “No, please, if I #Gen. 43:3; 2 Sam. 3:13; 14:24, 28, 32have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11Please, take #Judg. 1:15; 1 Sam. 25:27; 30:26my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt #Gen. 30:43; Ex. 33:19graciously with me, and because I have enough.” #2 Kin. 5:23So he urged him, and he took it.

12Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.”

13But Jacob said to him, “My lord 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 flock will die. 14Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord #Gen. 32:3; 36:8in Seir.”

15And Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.”

But he said, “What need is there? #Gen. 34:11; 47:25; Ruth 2:13Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17And Jacob journeyed to #Josh. 13:27; Judg. 8:5; Ps. 60:6Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Jacob Comes to Canaan

18Then Jacob came safely to #John 3:23the city of #Gen. 12:6; 35:4; Josh. 24:1; Judg. 9:1; Ps. 60:6Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. 19And #Josh. 24:32; John 4:5he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20Then he erected an altar there and called it #Gen. 35:7El Elohe Israel.

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Genesis 33

1 Then Jacob, lifting up his eyes, saw Esau arriving, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the sons of Leah and Rachel, and of both the handmaids.

2 And he placed the two handmaids and their children at the beginning. Truly, Leah and her sons were in the second place. Then Rachel and Joseph were last.

3 And advancing, he reverenced prostrate on the ground seven times, until his brother approached.

4 And so Esau ran to meet his brother, and he embraced him. And drawing him by his neck and kissing him, he wept.

5 And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their little ones, and he said: "What do these want for themselves?" and "Are they related to you?" He responded, "These are the little ones that God has given as a gift to me, your servant."

6 Then the handmaids and their sons approached and bowed down.

7 Likewise Leah, with her sons, came near. And when they had reverenced similarly, last of all, Joseph and Rachel reverenced.

8 And Esau said, "What are these companies that I have been meeting?" He responded, "So may I find favor before my lord."

9 But he said, "I have plenty, my brother; let these be for yourself."

10 And Jacob said: "I beg you, let it not be so. But if I have found favor in your eyes, receive a small present from my hands. For I have looked upon your face as I would look upon the countenance of God. Be gracious to me,

11 and take the blessing which I have brought to you, and which God, who bestows all things, has given as a gift to me." Accepting it reluctantly, at the insistence of his brother,

12 he said, "Let us go on together, and I will accompany you on your journey."

13 And Jacob said: "My lord, you know that I have with me tender little ones, and sheep, and cows with young. If I cause these to labor too much in walking, all the flocks will die in one day.

14 May it please my lord to go before his servant. And I will follow gradually in his steps, as much as I see my little ones to be able, until I arrive to my lord in Seir."

15 Esau responded, "I beg you, that at least some of the people who are with me may remain to accompany you on the way." But he said, "There is no need. I have need of one thing only: to find favor in your sight, my lord."

16 And so Esau returned that day, by the way that he had arrived, to Seir.

17 And Jacob went to Succoth, where, having built a house and pitched tents, he called the name of that place Succoth, that is, 'Tents.'

18 And he crossed over to Salem, a city of the Shechemites, which is in the land of Canaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria. And he lived near the town.

19 And he bought the part of the field in which he had pitched his tents from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred lambs.

20 And erecting an altar there, he invoked upon it the most strong God of Israel.

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Genesis 33

Genesis 33