Genesis 33
1 Then Jacob, lifting up his eyes, saw Esau arriving, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the sons of Leah and Rachel, and of both the handmaids.
Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.
2 And he placed the two handmaids and their children at the beginning. Truly, Leah and her sons were in the second place. Then Rachel and Joseph were last.
He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3 And advancing, he reverenced prostrate on the ground seven times, until his brother approached.
But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4 And so Esau ran to meet his brother, and he embraced him. And drawing him by his neck and kissing him, he wept.
Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
5 And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their little ones, and he said: “What do these want for themselves?” and “Are they related to you?” He responded, “These are the little ones that God has given as a gift to me, your servant.”
When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.”
6 Then the handmaids and their sons approached and bowed down.
Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down.
7 Likewise Leah, with her sons, came near. And when they had reverenced similarly, last of all, Joseph and Rachel reverenced.
Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.
8 And Esau said, “What are these companies that I have been meeting?” He responded, “So may I find favor before my lord.”
“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.
9 But he said, “I have plenty, my brother; let these be for yourself.”
“I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”
10 And Jacob said: “I beg you, let it not be so. But if I have found favor in your eyes, receive a small present from my hands. For I have looked upon your face as I would look upon the countenance of God. Be gracious to me,
But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably.
11 and take the blessing which I have brought to you, and which God, who bestows all things, has given as a gift to me.” Accepting it reluctantly, at the insistence of his brother,
Please accept my gift that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” So Jacob pressed him until he accepted.
12 he said, “Let us go on together, and I will accompany you on your journey.”
Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”
13 And Jacob said: “My lord, you know that I have with me tender little ones, and sheep, and cows with young. If I cause these to labor too much in walking, all the flocks will die in one day.
But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all the animals will die.
14 May it please my lord to go before his servant. And I will follow gradually in his steps, as much as I see my little ones to be able, until I arrive to my lord in Seir.”
Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”
15 Esau responded, “I beg you, that at least some of the people who are with me may remain to accompany you on the way.” But he said, “There is no need. I have need of one thing only: to find favor in your sight, my lord.”
“Let me leave some of my people with you,” Esau said. But Jacob replied, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
16 And so Esau returned that day, by the way that he had arrived, to Seir.
So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir,
17 And Jacob went to Succoth, where, having built a house and pitched tents, he called the name of that place Succoth, that is, ‘Tents.’
but Jacob went on to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth.
18 And he crossed over to Salem, a city of the Shechemites, which is in the land of Canaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria. And he lived near the town.
After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city.
19 And he bought the part of the field in which he had pitched his tents from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred lambs.
And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.
20 And erecting an altar there, he invoked upon it the most strong God of Israel.
There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
