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Genesis 33:18-20
New International Version
Genesis 33:18-20
New International Version
18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,[a](A) he arrived safely at the city of Shechem(B) in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver,[b] he bought from the sons of Hamor,(C) the father of Shechem,(D) the plot of ground(E) where he pitched his tent.(F) 20 There he set up an altar(G) and called it El Elohe Israel.[c]
Footnotes
- Genesis 33:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 33:19 Hebrew hundred kesitahs; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value.
- Genesis 33:20 El Elohe Israel can mean El is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.
Genesis 33:18-20
New King James Version
Genesis 33:18-20
New King James Version
Jacob Comes to Canaan
18 Then Jacob came [a]safely to (A)the city of (B)Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. 19 And (C)he bought the parcel of [b]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 (D)El[c] Elohe Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 33:18 Or to Shalem, a city of
- Genesis 33:19 Lit. the field
- Genesis 33:20 Lit. God, the God of Israel
Genesis 33:18-20
New English Translation
Genesis 33:18-20
New English Translation
18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near[a] the city. 19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it[b] from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for 100 pieces of money.[c] 20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.”[d]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 33:18 tn Heb “in front of.”
- Genesis 33:19 tn The words “he bought it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 19 is one long sentence.
- Genesis 33:19 tn The Hebrew word קְשִׂיטָה (qesitah) is generally understood to refer to a unit of money, but the value is unknown. (However, cf. REB, which renders the term as “sheep”).
- Genesis 33:20 tn Heb “God, the God of Israel.” Rather than translating the name, a number of modern translations merely transliterate it from the Hebrew as “El Elohe Israel” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB). It is not entirely clear how the name should be interpreted grammatically. One option is to supply an equative verb, as in the translation: “The God of Israel [is] God.” Another interpretive option is “the God of Israel [is] strong [or “mighty”].” Buying the land and settling down for a while was a momentous step for the patriarch, so the commemorative naming of the altar is significant.
Genesis 33:18-20
King James Version
Genesis 33:18-20
King James Version
18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.
20 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.
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Genesis 33:18-20
English Standard Version
Genesis 33:18-20
English Standard Version
18 And Jacob came safely[a] to the city of (A)Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. 19 And from the sons of (B)Hamor, Shechem's father, (C)he bought for a hundred pieces of money[b] the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20 There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.[c]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 33:18 Or peacefully
- Genesis 33:19 Hebrew a hundred qesitah; a unit of money of uncertain value
- Genesis 33:20 El-Elohe-Israel means God, the God of Israel
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New English Translation (NET)
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.