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.
Jacob looked up and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants.
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.
Then he put the female servants and their children in front, followed by Leah and her children, and followed by Rachel and Joseph last of all.
3 And advancing, he reverenced prostrate on the ground seven times, until his brother approached.
He himself went on ahead of them. He bowed toward the ground seven times, until he came near to 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 ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they 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, he saw the women and the children. He said, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
6 Then the handmaids and their sons approached and bowed down.
Then the female servants came forward with their children, and they bowed down.
7 Likewise Leah, with her sons, came near. And when they had reverenced similarly, last of all, Joseph and Rachel reverenced.
Next Leah also and her children came forward and bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward 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.”
Esau said, “What do you mean by all these groups that I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my master.”
9 But he said, “I have plenty, my brother; let these be for yourself.”
Esau said, “I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
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,
Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your eyes, then accept my gift from my hand, for indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me.
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 dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus Jacob urged him, and Esau accepted it.
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. I will go before 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.
Jacob said to him, “My master knows that the children are young, and that the sheep and the cattle are nursing their young. If they are driven hard even one 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 master go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are before me, and at the pace of the children, until I come to my master in 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.”
Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of my men who are with me.” But Jacob said, “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 Esau that day 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.’
Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is 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.
When Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan. He camped near 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.
Then he bought the piece of ground where he had pitched his tent 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.
