33
Jacob Meets Esau
Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, AEsau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children 1among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. He put the maids and their children 1in front, and Leah and her children 2next, and Rachel and Joseph 2last. But he himself passed on ahead of them and Abowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and Afell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “1Who are these with you?” So he said, “AThe children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the maids came near 1with their children, and they bowed down. Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down. And he said, “What do you mean by Aall this company which I have met?” And he said, “BTo find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “AI have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10  Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, 1for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11  “Please take my 1Agift which has been brought to you, Bbecause God has dealt graciously with me and because I have 2plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.
12 Then 1Esau said, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are 1a care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die. 14  “Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at ASeir.”
15  Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “1What need is there? ALet me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17  Jacob journeyed to 1ASuccoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.
Jacob Settles in Shechem
18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of AShechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from BPaddan-aram, and camped before the city. 19  AHe bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred 1pieces of money. 20 Then he erected there an altar and called it 1El-Elohe-Israel.
A 33:1 Gen 32:6 1 33:1 Or to 1 33:2 Lit first 2 33:2 Lit behind 2 33:2 Lit behind A 33:3 Gen 42:6; 43:26 A 33:4 Gen 45:14, 15 1 33:5 Or What relation are these to you? A 33:5 Gen 48:9; Ps 127:3; Is 8:18 1 33:6 Lit they and A 33:8 Gen 32:13-16 B 33:8 Gen 32:5 A 33:9 Gen 27:39, 40 1 33:10 Lit for therefore I have seen your face like seeing God’s face 1 33:11 Lit blessing A 33:11 1 Sam 25:27 B 33:11 Gen 30:43 2 33:11 Lit all 1 33:12 Lit he 1 33:13 Lit upon me A 33:14 Gen 32:3 1 33:15 Lit Why this? A 33:15 Ruth 2:13 1 33:17 I.e. booths A 33:17 Josh 13:27; Judg 8:5, 14; Ps 60:6 A 33:18 Gen 12:6; Josh 24:1; Judg 9:1 B 33:18 Gen 25:20; 28:2 A 33:19 Josh 24:32; John 4:5 1 33:19 Heb qesitah 1 33:20 I.e. God, the God of Israel