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33 Jacob looked up, and there was Esau coming with four hundred men. Jacob divided the children into groups with Leah and Rachel and with the two maids. He put the maids and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the end. He himself crossed over the stream ahead of the others and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged him around the neck, and kissed him. They both wept. Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?”

Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the maids came forward with their children, and they bowed low. Leah and her children also came forward and bowed low. After them, Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed low.

Esau said, “What did you mean by this whole camp that I met?”

Jacob said, “To gain favor in the sight of my lord.”

Esau said, “I have enough, my brother. Keep what is yours.”

10 Jacob said, “No, if I have now found favor in your sight, then please accept the gift from my hand, because when I saw your face, it was like seeing the face of God, now that you have accepted me. 11 Please accept the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I need.” He urged him, and he accepted it.

12 Esau said, “Let us get going on our journey, and I will lead the way for you.”

13 Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are still young, and that my flocks and herds are nursing their young, and if the herdsmen drive them too hard for even one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord go ahead of his servant, and I will follow slowly, at the right pace for the livestock and the right pace for the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 Esau said, “Please let me leave some of my people with you.”

But he said, “Why? Just let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

16 So Esau set out that day on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob traveled to Succoth, built a house for himself, and made shelters for his livestock. That is why that place is called Succoth.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 33:17 Succoth means shelters.

Jacob Meets Esau and Settles at Shechem

33 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked. And behold, Esau was coming and four hundred men were with him. And he[a] divided the children among Leah and among Rachel, and among the two of his female servants. And he put the female slaves and their children first, then Leah and her children next, then Rachel with Joseph last. And he himself passed on before them and bowed down to the ground seven times until he came to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell upon his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Then Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children and said, “Who are these with you?” And he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the female servants drew near, they and their children, and they bowed down. Then Leah and her children drew near and bowed down, and afterward Joseph and Rachel drew near and they bowed down. And he[b] said, “What do you mean by[c] all this company that I have met?” Then he said, “To find favor in the eyes of my lord.” Then Esau said, “I have enough[d] my brother; keep what you have.”[e] 10 And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your eyes, you must take my gift from my hand, for then I have seen your face which is like seeing the face of God, and you have received me. 11 Please take my gift which has been brought to you, for God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.”[f] And he urged him, so he took it. 12 Then he[g] said, “Let us journey and go on, and I will go ahead of you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and the flocks and the cattle which are nursing are a concern to me. Now if they drove them hard for a day all the flocks would die. 14 Let my lord pass on before his servant and I will move along slowly at the pace[h] of the livestock that are ahead of me, and at the pace[i] of the children until I come to my lord in Seir.” 15 And Esau said, “Let me leave some of my people with you.” But he said, “What need is there?[j] Let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.” 16 So Esau turned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob traveled on to Succoth, and he built for himself a house, and he made shelters for his livestock. Therefore he called the name of the place Succoth.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 33:1 That is, Jacob
  2. Genesis 33:8 That is, Esau
  3. Genesis 33:8 Literally “What to you?”
  4. Genesis 33:9 Literally “There is to me abundance”
  5. Genesis 33:9 Literally “let what is to you be to you”
  6. Genesis 33:11 Literally “There is to me abundance”
  7. Genesis 33:12 That is, Esau
  8. Genesis 33:14 Or “foot”
  9. Genesis 33:14 Or “foot”
  10. Genesis 33:15 Literally “What is this?”