< Genesis 33 >

1 And as Iaakob lift vp his eyes, and looked, behold, Esau came, and with him foure hundreth men: and he deuided the children to Leah, and to Rahel, and to the two maides.
And Jacob lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming, and with him four hundred men: and he divided the children of Lia, and of Rachel, and of the two handmaids:
2 And he put the maides, and their children formost, and Leah, and her children after, and Rahel, and Ioseph hindermost.
And he put both the handmaids and their children foremost: and Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel and Joseph last.
3 So he went before them and bowed him selfe to the ground seuen times, vntill he came neere to his brother.
And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times until his brother came near.
4 Then Esau ranne to meete him, and embraced him, and fell on his necke, and kissed him, and they wept.
Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and clasping him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept.
5 And he lift vp his eyes, and sawe the women, and the children, and saide, Who are these with thee? And he answered, They are ye childre whome God of his grace hath giuen thy seruant.
And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their children, and said: What mean these? And do they belong to thee? He answered: They are the children which God hath given to me thy servant.
6 Then came the maides neere, they, and their children, and bowed themselues.
Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed themselves.
7 Leah also with her children came neere and made obeysance: and after Ioseph and Rahel drew neere, and did reuerence.
Lia also with her children came near, and bowed down in like manner, and last of all Joseph and Rachel bowed down.
8 Then he said, What meanest thou by all this droue, which I met? Who answered, I haue sent it, that I may finde fauour in the sight of my lorde:
And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favour before my lord.
9 And Esau said, I haue ynough, my brother: keepe that thou hast to thy selfe.
But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself.
10 But Iaakob answered, Nay, I pray thee: if I haue found grace nowe in thy sight, then receiue my present at mine hande: for I haue seene thy face, as though I had seene the face of God, because thou hast accepted me.
And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found favour in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have seen thy face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be gracious to me,
11 I pray thee take my blessing, that is brought thee: for God hath had mercie on me, and therefore I haue all things: so he compelled him, and he tooke it.
And take the blessing, which I have brought thee, and which God hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it with much ado at his brother’s earnest pressing him,
12 And he saide, Let vs take our iourney and go, and I will goe before thee.
And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey.
13 Then he answered him, My lord knoweth, that the children are tender, and the ewes and kine with yong vnder mine hande: and if they should ouerdriue them one day, all the flocke would die.
And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me tender children, and sheep, and kine with young: which if I should cause to be overdriven, in one day all the flocks will die.
14 Let now my lord go before his seruant, and I will driue softly, according to ye pase of ye cattel, which is before me, and as the children be able to endure, vntill I come to my lord vnto Seir.
May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be able, until I come to my lord in Seir.
15 Then Esau said, I will leaue then some of my folke with thee. And he answered, what needeth this? let me finde grace in the sight of my lorde.
Esau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people at least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the way. And he said: There is no necessity: I want nothing else but only to find favour, my lord, in thy sight.
16 So Esau returned, and went his way that same day vnto Seir.
So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir.
17 And Iaakob went forwarde towarde Succoth, and built him an house, and made boothes for his cattell: therefore he called the name of the place Succoth.
And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents.
18 Afterward, Iaakob came safe to Sheche a citie, which is in the lande of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram, and pitched before the citie.
And he passed over to Salem, a city of the Sichemites, which is in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria: and he dwelt by the town:
19 And there he bought a parcell of ground, where hee pitched his tent, at the hande of the sonnes of Hamor Shechems father, for an hundreth pieces of money.
And he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem for a hundred lambs.
20 And he set vp there an altar, and called it, The mightie God of Israel.
And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel.

< Genesis 33 >