Jacob Meets Esau

33 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men;^(A) so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants.^{(B) 2} He put the female servants and their children^(C) in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph^(D) in the rear. ³ He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground^(E) seven times^(F) as he approached his brother.

⁴ But Esau^(G) ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.^(H) And they wept.^{(I) 5} Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.

Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.^(J)”

⁶ Then the female servants and their children^(K) approached and bowed down.^{(L) 7} Next, Leah and her children^(M) came and bowed down.^(N) Last of all came Joseph and Rachel,^(O) and they too bowed down.

⁸ Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?”^(P)

“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,”^(Q) he said.

⁹ But Esau said, “I already have plenty,^(R) my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”

¹⁰ “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(S) accept this gift^(T) from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God,^(U) now that you have received me favorably.^{(V) 11} Please accept the present^(W) that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me^(X) and I have all I need.”^(Y) And because Jacob insisted,^(Z) Esau accepted it.

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.^{(A) 12} The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’^(B) So he divided his property^(C) between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth^(D) in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.^{(E) 16} He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned^(F) against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.^(G)

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.^(H) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe^(I) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger^(J) and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;^(K) he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.^(L)