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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?”

Jacob Meets Esau

33 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, (A)Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on before them, (B)bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

(C)But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him (D)and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, (E)“The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, “What do you mean by (F)all this company[a] that I met?” Jacob answered, (G)“To find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. (H)For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11 Please accept my (I)blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he (J)urged him, and he took it.

12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of[b] you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord (K)in Seir.”

15 So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? (L)Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to (M)Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to (N)Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 33:8 Hebrew camp
  2. Genesis 33:12 Or along with
  3. Genesis 33:17 Succoth means booths