The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 33 -

And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.(a)

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

And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.(b)

And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.(c)

And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.(d)

And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.(e)

And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.(f)

(g)

So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.(h)

Jacob Settles in Shechem

And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan–aram; and pitched his tent before the city.(i)

And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money.(j)

(k)

And he erected there an altar, and called it El–elohe–Israel.(l)

Footnotes

(a)33:5 with…: Heb. to thee

(b)33:8 What…: Heb. What is all this band to thee?

(d)33:11 enough: Heb. all things

(e)33:14 according…: Heb. according to the foot of the work, etc., and according to the foot of the children

(f)33:15 leave: Heb. set, or, place

(g)33:15 What…: Heb. Wherefore is this?

(h)33:17 Succoth: that is, Booths

(i)33:18 Shechem: Gr. Sychem

(j)33:19 Hamor: Gr. Emmor

(k)33:19 pieces…: or, lambs

(l)33:20 El–elohe–Israel: that is 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”.