< 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.
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.
2 He placed the two personal maids with their children first, then Leah and her children, and Rachel and Joseph last.
And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
3 Then Jacob went ahead of them and bowed low to the ground seven times before approaching his brother.
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to 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.
And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
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.
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.
6 The personal maids and their children came over and bowed down.
Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
7 Then Leah and her children came over and bowed down. Lastly Joseph and Rachel came over and bowed down.
And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
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 meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
9 “I have more than enough, my brother! You keep what you have,” said Esau.
And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
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, 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.
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, 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.
12 “Let's get on our way,” Esau said. “I'll go ahead of you.”
And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
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.
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.
14 You go on, my lord, and your servant will come along slowly, walking with the children, and I'll meet you at Seir.”
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.
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, 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.
16 So Esau started on his way back to Seir that day.
So Esau returned that day on his way unto 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 journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called 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.
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.
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 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.
20 He built an altar there and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
And he erected there an altar, and called it El–elohe–Israel.

< Genesis 33 >