Genesis 33
33
Jacob Meets Esau
1Jacob looked and saw Esau coming with 400 men. Jacob divided his family into four groups. Leah and her children were in one group, Rachel and Joseph were in one group, and the two maids and their children were in two groups. 2Jacob put the maids with their children first. Then he put Leah and her children behind them, and he put Rachel and Joseph in the last place.
3Jacob himself went out before them. While he was walking toward his brother Esau, he bowed down to the ground seven times.
4When Esau saw Jacob, he ran to meet him. He put his arms around Jacob, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both cried. 5Esau looked up and saw the women and children. He said, “Who are all these people with you?”
Jacob answered, “These are the children that God gave me. God has been good to me.”
6Then the two maids and the children with them went to Esau. They bowed down before him. 7Then Leah and the children with her went to Esau and bowed down. And then Rachel and Joseph went to him and bowed down.
8Esau said, “Who were all those people I saw while I was coming here? And what were all those animals for?”
Jacob answered, “These are my gifts to you so that you might accept me.”
9But Esau said, “You don’t have to give me gifts, brother. I have enough for myself.”
10Jacob said, “No, I beg you! If you really accept me, please accept the gifts I give you. I am very happy to see your face again. It is like seeing the face of God. I am very happy to see that you accept me. 11So I beg you to also accept the gifts I give you. God has been very good to me. I have more than I need.” Because Jacob begged Esau to take the gifts, he accepted them.
12Then Esau said, “Now you can continue your journey. I will go with you.”
13But Jacob said to him, “You know that my children are weak. And I must be careful with my flocks and their young animals. If I force them to walk too far in one day, all the animals will die. 14So you go on ahead. I will follow you slowly. I will go slowly enough for the cattle and other animals to be safe and so that my children will not get too tired. I will meet you in Seir.”
15So Esau said, “Then I will leave some of my men to help you.”
But Jacob said, “That is very kind of you, but there is no need to do that.” 16So that day Esau started on his trip back to Seir. 17But Jacob went to Succoth.#33:17 Succoth A town east of the Jordan River. This name means “temporary shelters.” There he built a house for himself and small barns for his cattle. That is why the place was named Succoth.
18Jacob safely ended his trip from Paddan Aram when he came to the town of Shechem in Canaan. He made his camp in a field near the city. 19He bought the field where he camped from the family of Hamor, father of Shechem. He paid 100 pieces of silver for it. 20He built an altar there to honor God. He named the place “El,#33:20 El A Hebrew name for God. the God of Israel.”
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Genesis 33
33
1And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2And he put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5And when Esau raised his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; 7Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10Jacob said, “No, I pray you, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God, with such favor have you received me. 11Accept, I pray you, my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.
12Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go before you.” 13But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the flocks and herds giving suck are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. 14Let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle which are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
15So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the men who are with me.” But he said, “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 Succoth,#33.17 That is Booths and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram; and he camped before the city. 19And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money#33.19 Heb a hundred qesitah the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.#33.20 That is God, the God of Israel
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America