Genesis 33:1-17
New American Standard Bible
Jacob Meets Esau
33 Then Jacob raised his eyes and looked, and behold, (A)Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children [a]among Leah and Rachel, and the two slave women. 2 He put the slave women and their children [b]in front, and Leah and her children [c]next, and Rachel and Joseph [d]last. 3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and (B)bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and (C)fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 He raised his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “[e]Who are these with you?” So he said, “(D)The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the slave women came forward [f]with their children, and they bowed down. 7 And Leah likewise came forward with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed down. 8 And he said, “What do you mean by (E)all this company which I have met?” And he said, “(F)To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “(G)I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift from my hand, [g]for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept my [h](H)gift which has been brought to you, (I)because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have [i]plenty.” So he urged him, and he accepted it.
12 Then [j]Esau said, “Let’s journey on and go, and I will go ahead of you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds that are nursing are [k]a matter of concern to me. And if they are driven hard just one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, at the pace of the cattle that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at (J)Seir.”
15 Then Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “[l]What need is there? (K)Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to [m](L)Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.
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- Genesis 33:1 Or to
- Genesis 33:2 Lit first
- Genesis 33:2 Lit behind
- Genesis 33:2 Lit behind
- Genesis 33:5 Or What relation are these to you?
- Genesis 33:6 Lit they and
- Genesis 33:10 Lit for therefore I have seen your face like seeing God’s face
- Genesis 33:11 Lit blessing
- Genesis 33:11 Lit all
- Genesis 33:12 Lit he
- Genesis 33:13 Lit upon me
- Genesis 33:15 Lit Why this?
- Genesis 33:17 I.e., booths
Genesis 33:1-17
Common English Bible
Esau forgives Jacob
33 Jacob looked up and saw Esau approaching with four hundred men. Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two women servants. 2 He put the servants and their children first, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 He himself went in front of them and bowed to the ground seven times as he was approaching his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet him, threw his arms around his neck, kissed him, and they wept. 5 Esau looked up and saw the women and children and said, “Who are these with you?”
Jacob said, “The children that God generously gave your servant.” 6 The women servants and their children came forward and bowed down. 7 Then Leah and her servants also came forward and bowed, and afterward Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed.
8 Esau said, “What’s the meaning of this entire group of animals that I met?”
Jacob said, “To ask for my master’s kindness.”
9 Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what’s yours.”
10 Jacob said, “No, please, do me the kindness of accepting my gift. Seeing your face is like seeing God’s face, since you’ve accepted me so warmly. 11 Take this present that I’ve brought because God has been generous to me, and I have everything I need.” So Jacob persuaded him, and he took it.
12 Esau said, “Let’s break camp and set out, and I’ll go with you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My master knows that the children aren’t strong and that I am responsible for the nursing flocks and cattle. If I push them hard for even one day, all of the flocks will die. 14 My master, go on ahead of your servant, but I’ve got to take it easy, going only as fast as the animals in front of me and the children are able to go, until I meet you in Seir.”
15 Esau said, “Let me leave some of my people with you.”
But Jacob said, “Why should you do this since my master has already been so kind to me?” 16 That day Esau returned on the road to Seir, 17 but Jacob traveled to Succoth. He built a house for himself but made temporary shelters for his animals; therefore, he named the place Succoth.[a]
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- Genesis 33:17 Or temporary shelters
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