1Then Jacob raised his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children #33.1: Or toamong Leah and Rachel, and the two slave women. 2He put the slave women and their children #33.2: Lit firstin front, and Leah and her children #33.2: Lit behindnext, and Rachel and Joseph #33.2: Lit behindlast. 3But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5He raised his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “#33.5: Or What relation are these to you?Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the slave women came forward #33.6: Lit they andwith their children, and they bowed down. 7And Leah likewise came forward with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed down. 8And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift from my hand, #33.10: Lit for therefore I have seen your face like seeing God’s facefor I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11Please accept my #33.11: Lit blessinggift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have #33.11: Lit allplenty.” So he urged him, and he accepted it.

12Then #33.12: Lit heEsau said, “Let’s journey on and go, and I will go ahead of you.” 13But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds that are nursing are #33.13: Lit upon mea matter of concern to me. And if they are driven hard just one day, all the flocks will die. 14Please let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, at the pace of the cattle that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”

15Then Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “#33.15: Lit Why this?What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17But Jacob journeyed to #33.17: I.e., boothsSuccoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.

Jacob Settles in Shechem

18Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. 19He bought the plot of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred #33.19: Heb qesitahpieces of money. 20Then he erected there an altar and called it #33.20: I.e., God, the God of IsraelEl-Elohe-Israel.

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Genesis 33

Jacob Shows His Bravery

1Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming. With him were 400 men. So Jacob divided his children among Leah, Rachel and the two slave girls. 2Jacob put the slave girls with their children first. Then he put Leah and her children behind them. And he put Rachel and Joseph last. 3Jacob himself went out in front of them. He bowed down flat on the ground seven times as he was walking toward his brother.

4But Esau ran to meet Jacob. Esau put his arms around him and hugged him. Then Esau kissed him, and they both cried. 5Esau looked up and saw the women and children. He asked, “Who are these people with you?”

Jacob answered, “These are the children God has given me. God has been good to me, your servant.”

6Then the two slave girls and their children came up to Esau. They bowed down flat on the earth before him. 7Then Leah and her children came up to Esau. They also bowed down flat on the earth. Last of all, Joseph and Rachel came up to Esau. And they, too, bowed down flat before him.

8Esau said, “I saw many herds as I was coming here. Why did you bring them?”

Jacob answered, “They were to please you, my master.”

9But Esau said, “I already have enough, my brother. Keep what you have.”

10Jacob said, “No! Please! If I have pleased you, then please accept the gift I give you. I am very happy to see your face again. It is like seeing the face of God because you have accepted me. 11So I beg you to accept the gift I give you. God has been very good to me. And I have more than I need.” And because Jacob begged, Esau accepted the gift.

12Then Esau said, “Let us get going. I will travel with you.”

13But Jacob said to him, “My master, you know that the children are weak. And I must be careful with my flocks and their young ones. If I force them to go too far in one day, all the animals will die. 14So, my master, you go on ahead of me, your servant. I will follow you slowly. I will let the animals and the children set the speed at which we travel. I will meet you, my master, in Edom.”

15So Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”

“No, thank you,” said Jacob. “I only want to please you, my master.” 16So that day Esau started back to Edom. 17But Jacob went to Succoth. There he built a house for himself. And he made shelters for his animals. That is why the place was named Succoth.# This name means “shelters.”

18Jacob left Northwest Mesopotamia. And he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan. He camped east of the city. 19He bought a part of the field where he had camped. He bought it from the sons of Hamor father of Shechem for 100 pieces of silver. 20He built an altar there and named it after God, the God of Israel.

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Genesis 33

Genesis 33