Genesis 33
1 Jacob saw Esau in the distance, coming towards him with four hundred men. So he split up the children between Leah, Rachel and the two personal maids.
Then Jacob, lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. So he made a division of the children between Leah and Rachel and the two women-servants.
2 He placed the two personal maids with their children first, then Leah and her children, and Rachel and Joseph last.
He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph at the back.
3 Then Jacob went ahead of them and bowed low to the ground seven times before approaching his brother.
And he himself, going before them, went down on his face to the earth seven times till he came near his brother.
4 Esau ran over to him and hugged him. He put his arms around his neck and kissed him. The two of them wept.
Then Esau came running up to him, and folding him in his arms, gave him a kiss: and the two of them were overcome with weeping.
5 Then Esau looked around at the women and children. “Who are these people with you?” he asked. “They are the children God graciously gave your servant,” Jacob replied.
Then Esau, lifting up his eyes, saw the women and the children, and said, Who are these with you? And he said, The children whom God in his mercy has given to your servant.
6 The personal maids and their children came over and bowed down.
Then the servants and their children came near, and went down on their faces.
7 Then Leah and her children came over and bowed down. Lastly Joseph and Rachel came over and bowed down.
And Leah came near with her children, and then Joseph and Rachel, and they did the same.
8 “What were all the livestock for that I met on the way?” Esau asked. “They're a gift to you my lord so you'd treat me well,” Jacob answered.
And he said, What were all those herds which I saw on the way? And Jacob said, They were an offering so that I might have grace in my lord's eyes.
9 “I have more than enough, my brother! You keep what you have,” said Esau.
But Esau said, I have enough; keep what is yours, my brother, for yourself.
10 “No, please!” Jacob insisted. “If you're happy with me, then please accept the gift I'm giving you. Now I've seen your face again it's like seeing the face of God, and you have welcomed me so kindly!
And Jacob said, Not so; but if I have grace in your eyes, take them as a sign of my love, for I have seen your face as one may see the face of God, and you have been pleased with me.
11 Please take the gift I've brought to you because God has treated me so well and I have so much.” So Esau accepted it.
Take my offering then, with my blessing; for God has been very good to me and I have enough: so at his strong request, he took it.
12 “Let's get on our way,” Esau said. “I'll go ahead of you.”
And he said, Let us go on our journey together, and I will go in front.
13 “My lord can see that the children are weak,” Jacob responded. “Also, the goats, sheep, and cattle are nursing their young, and if I push them too hard, they'll all die.
But Jacob said, My lord may see that the children are only small, and there are young ones in my flocks and herds: one day's over-driving will be the destruction of all the flock.
14 You go on, my lord, and your servant will come along slowly, walking with the children, and I'll meet you at Seir.”
Do you, my lord, go on before your servant; I will come on slowly, at the rate at which the cattle and the children are able to go, till I come to my lord at Seir.
15 “Fine, but let me leave some of my men with you,” said Esau. “You're very kind, but there's no need to do that,” Jacob replied.
And Esau said, Then keep some of my men with you. And he said, What need is there for that, if my lord is pleased with me?
16 So Esau started on his way back to Seir that day.
So Esau, turning back that day, went on his way to Seir.
17 But Jacob headed to Succoth, where he built himself a house and shelters for the livestock. That's why the place is called Succoth.
And Jacob went on to Succoth, where he made a house for himself and put up tents for his cattle: for this reason the place was named Succoth.
18 Later Jacob continued his journey from Paddan-aram. He arrived safely at Shechem in the country of Canaan where he camped outside the town.
So Jacob came safely from Paddan-aram to the town of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and put up his tents near the town.
19 He bought the plot of ground where he was camping from the sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem, for 100 pieces of money.
And for a hundred bits of money he got from the children of Hamor, the builder of Shechem, the field in which he had put up his tents.
20 He built an altar there and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
And there he put up an altar, naming it El, the God of Israel.
