Genesis 33
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 33
Reconciliation of the Two Brothers.[a] 1 Jacob looked up and saw Esau arrive, accompanied by four hundred men. He therefore divided up his sons among Leah, Rachel, and the two slaves. 2 He had the slaves and their children lead the way, and in back of them Leah and her sons, and then Rachel and Joseph. 3 He walked ahead of them and bowed to the ground seven times as he was approaching his brother.
4 But Esau ran up to him, embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him and wept. 5 Raising his eyes, he saw the women and the children and said, “To whom do these belong?”
He answered, “They are my sons whom God has graciously given to his servant.”
6 The slaves and their children came forward and bowed down. 7 Then Leah and her children came forward and bowed down. Finally, Rachel and Joseph came forward and bowed down.
8 Esau asked again, “What is all this caravan that I have come across?”
He answered, “So that I might find favor in your sight, my lord.”
9 Esau said, “I have enough of my own possessions, brother; let these things be for you.”
10 But Jacob said, “No, if I have found favor in your sight, accept this gift from my hands. For it is for this that I have come into your presence as one would come into the presence of God, and you have received me favorably. 11 Accept this blessing that I give you, for God has been generous to me and I have enough.” This is the way he insisted, and Esau accepted.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us break camp and set out; I will travel in front of you.”
13 But Jacob answered, “My lord knows that the children are delicate and that my flocks and herds are burdened with young ones. If they were to be pushed even one day, the entire flock would surely die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of your servant, while I stay here going slowly, at the pace of the animals that will go ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I eventually reach my lord in Seir.”
15 Esau said, “I could at least leave a part of my people with you!”
Jacob answered, “But why? Let me only find favor in your sight, my lord!”
16 Thus, that same day, Esau departed for Seir. 17 Jacob instead traveled to Succoth where he built a house for himself and made huts for his flock. This is why he called the place Succoth.
18 When Jacob returned from Paddan-aram, he arrived in peace at the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, and he camped in front of the city. 19 He bought the portion of land where he was camped for one hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father. 20 There he built an altar and called it, El-Elohe-Israel, which means El, the God of Israel.
Footnotes
- Genesis 33:1 Later on Jacob goes to the town of Shechem, in the center of Palestine, where he buys a plot of land and there sets up an altar to God as Lord of his own clan. According to tradition, this is the second property of the Patriarchs in the Promised Land; it will become an important sanctuary in the life of Israel (see Jos 8:30-35; 22:1-27; 1 Ki 12:1, 25; etc.).
Genesis 33
New King James Version
Jacob and Esau Meet
33 Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, (A)Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2 And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 Then he crossed over before them and (B)bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 (C)But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, (D)and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?”
So he said, “The children (E)whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.
8 Then Esau said, “What do you mean by (F)all this company which I met?”
And he said, “These are (G)to find favor in the sight of my lord.”
9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”
10 And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I (H)have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11 Please, take (I)my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt (J)graciously with me, and because I have [a]enough.” (K)So he urged him, and he took it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. 14 Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, [b]are able to endure, until I come to my lord (L)in Seir.”
15 And Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.”
But he said, “What need is there? (M)Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 And Jacob journeyed to (N)Succoth, built himself a house, and made [c]booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called [d]Succoth.
Jacob Comes to Canaan
18 Then Jacob came [e]safely to (O)the city of (P)Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. 19 And (Q)he bought the parcel of [f]land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20 Then he erected an altar there and called it (R)El[g] Elohe Israel.
Footnotes
- Genesis 33:11 Lit. all
- Genesis 33:14 can stand
- Genesis 33:17 shelters
- Genesis 33:17 Lit. Booths
- Genesis 33:18 Or to Shalem, a city of
- Genesis 33:19 Lit. the field
- Genesis 33:20 Lit. God, the God of Israel
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
