1Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. 3But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

5When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?”

Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down. 7Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.

8“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau.

“To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.

9“I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”

10But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably. 11Please accept my gift #33:11 Or blessing or treaty of peace that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” So Jacob pressed him until he accepted.

12Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”

13But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all the animals will die. 14Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”

15“Let me leave some of my people with you,” Esau said.

But Jacob replied, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

16So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir, 17but Jacob went on to Succoth,#33:17 Succoth means booths or shelters or tabernacles; twice in this verse. where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth.

Jacob Settles in Shechem

18After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram,#33:18 That is, northwest Mesopotamia he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city. 19And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.#33:19 Hebrew a hundred kesitahs; the value or weight of the kesitah is no longer known 20There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.#33:20 El-Elohe-Israel means God is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.

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Genesis 33

1And as Iaakob lift vp his eyes, and looked, behold, Esau came, and with him foure hundreth men: and he deuided the children to Leah, and to Rahel, and to the two maides. 2And he put the maides, and their children formost, and Leah, and her children after, and Rahel, and Ioseph hindermost. 3So he went before them and bowed him selfe to the ground seuen times, vntill he came neere to his brother. 4Then Esau ranne to meete him, and embraced him, and fell on his necke, and kissed him, and they wept. 5And he lift vp his eyes, and sawe the women, and the children, and saide, Who are these with thee? And he answered, They are ye childre whome God of his grace hath giuen thy seruant. 6Then came the maides neere, they, and their children, and bowed themselues. 7Leah also with her children came neere and made obeysance: and after Ioseph and Rahel drew neere, and did reuerence. 8Then he said, What meanest thou by all this droue, which I met? Who answered, I haue sent it, that I may finde fauour in the sight of my lorde: 9And Esau said, I haue ynough, my brother: keepe that thou hast to thy selfe. 10But Iaakob answered, Nay, I pray thee: if I haue found grace nowe in thy sight, then receiue my present at mine hande: for I haue seene thy face, as though I had seene the face of God, because thou hast accepted me. 11I pray thee take my blessing, that is brought thee: for God hath had mercie on me, and therefore I haue all things: so he compelled him, and he tooke it. 12And he saide, Let vs take our iourney and go, and I will goe before thee. 13Then he answered him, My lord knoweth, that the children are tender, and the ewes and kine with yong vnder mine hande: and if they should ouerdriue them one day, all the flocke would die. 14Let now my lord go before his seruant, and I will driue softly, according to ye pase of ye cattel, which is before me, and as the children be able to endure, vntill I come to my lord vnto Seir. 15Then Esau said, I will leaue then some of my folke with thee. And he answered, what needeth this? let me finde grace in the sight of my lorde. 16So Esau returned, and went his way that same day vnto Seir. 17And Iaakob went forwarde towarde Succoth, and built him an house, and made boothes for his cattell: therefore he called the name of the place Succoth. 18Afterward, Iaakob came safe to Sheche a citie, which is in the lande of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram, and pitched before the citie. 19And there he bought a parcell of ground, where hee pitched his tent, at the hande of the sonnes of Hamor Shechems father, for an hundreth pieces of money. 20And he set vp there an altar, and called it, The mightie God of Israel.

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Genesis 33

Genesis 33