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
Genesis 33
Living Bible
33 Then, far in the distance, Jacob saw Esau coming with his 400 men. 2 Jacob now arranged his family into a column, with his two concubines and their children at the head, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother he bowed low seven times before him. 4 And then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him affectionately and kissed him; and both of them were in tears!
5 Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?”
“My children,” Jacob replied. 6 Then the concubines came forward with their children, and bowed low before him. 7 Next came Leah with her children, and bowed, and finally Rachel and Joseph came and made their bows.
8 “And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?” Esau asked.
And Jacob replied, “They are my gifts, to curry your favor!”
9 “Brother, I have plenty,” Esau laughed. “Keep what you have.”
10 “No, but please accept them,” Jacob said, “for what a relief it is to see your friendly smile! I was as frightened of you as though approaching God![a] 11 Please take my gifts. For God has been very generous to me and I have enough.” So Jacob insisted, and finally Esau accepted them.
12 “Well, let’s be going,” Esau said. “My men and I will stay with you and lead the way.”
13 But Jacob replied, “As you can see,[b] some of the children are small, and the flocks and herds have their young, and if they are driven too hard, they will die. 14 So you go on ahead of us and we’ll follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir.”
15 “Well,” Esau said, “at least let me leave you some of my men to assist you and be your guides.”
“No,” Jacob insisted, “we’ll get along just fine. Please do as I suggest.”
16 So Esau started back to Seir that same day. 17 Meanwhile Jacob and his household went as far as Succoth. There he built himself a camp, with pens for his flocks and herds. (That is why the place is called Succoth, meaning “huts.”) 18 Then they arrived safely at Shechem, in Canaan, and camped outside the city. 19 (He bought the land he camped on from the family of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for 100 pieces of silver. 20 And there he erected an altar and called it “El-Elohe-Israel,” “The Altar to the God of Israel.”)
Footnotes
- Genesis 33:10 I was as frightened of you as though approaching God, literally, “forasmuch as I have seen your face as one sees the face of God.”
- Genesis 33:13 as you can see, implied.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.