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.”)