The First Book of Moses: Genesis

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- Chapter 33 -

Then Jacob joined the rest of his family. Later that day Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and there were four hundred men with him. Jacob was worried because of that, so he separated the children. He put Leah’s children with Leah, Rachel’s children with Rachel, and the two female slaves’ children with their mothers.

He put the two female slaves and their children in front. He put Leah and her children next. He put Rachel and Joseph at the rear.

He himself went ahead of them all, and as he continued to approach his older brother, he prostrated himself with his face on the ground seven times.

But Esau ran to Jacob. He hugged him, put his arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek. And they both cried.

Then Esau looked up and saw the women and the children. He asked, “Who are these people who are with you?” Jacob replied, “These are the wives and children that God has graciously given to me.”

Then the female slaves and their children came near and bowed in front of Esau.

Then Leah and her children came and bowed down. finally Joseph and Rachel came near and bowed down.

Esau asked, “What is the meaning of all the animals that I saw?” Jacob replied, “I am giving them to you, sir, so that you will feel good toward me.”

But Esau replied, “My younger brother, I have enough animals! Keep for yourself the animals that you have!”

But Jacob said, “No, please, if you feel good toward me, accept these gifts from me. You have greeted me very kindly. Seeing you smile at me assures me that you have forgiven me. It is like seeing the face of God!

Please accept these gifts that I have brought to you, because God has acted kindly toward me, and I still have plenty of animals!” Jacob kept on urging him to accept the animals, and finally Esau accepted them.

Then Esau said, “Let us continue traveling together, and I will lead you on the road.”

Jacob said, “You know, sir, that the children are weak, and that I must take care of the female sheep and cows that are sucking their mother’s milk. If I force them to walk fast for a long distance in just one day, the animals will all die.

You go ahead of me. I will lead the animals slowly, but I will walk as fast as the children and animals can walk. I will catch up with you in Seir.”

Esau said, “Then allow me to leave with you some of the men who came with me, to protect you.” But Jacob replied, “Why do that? The only thing that I want is for you to feel good toward me.”

So on that day Esau left to return to Seir.

But instead of going to Seir, Jacob and his family went to a place called Succoth. There he built a house for himself and his family, and built shelters for his livestock. That is the reason they named the place Succoth, which means “shelters.”

Jacob Settles in Shechem

This is how Jacob and his family left Paddan Aram and traveled safely to the land of Canaan. There they set up their tents in a field near the city of Shechem.

One of the leaders of the people in that area was named Hamor. Hamor had several sons. Jacob paid the sons of Hamor one hundred pieces of silver for the piece of ground on which they set up their tents.

He built a stone altar there and named it El Elohe Israel, which means “God, the God of Israel.”

Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants.

He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.

He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.

He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” He said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”

Then the servants came near with their children, and they bowed themselves.

Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”

Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me.

Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.

Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.”

Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.

Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.”

Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.

Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.(a)

Jacob Settles in Shechem

Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city.

He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.

He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.(b)

Footnotes

(a)33:17 succoth means shelters or booths.

(b)33:20 El Elohe Israel means “God, the God of Israel” or “The God of Israel is mighty”.