< Genesis 33 >
1 Now Jacob looked up and saw that Esau approaching, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants.
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 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph last.
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 He himself went on ahead of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he approached his brother.
And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times until his brother came near.
4 Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, 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 looked up and saw the women and the children, and said, "Who are these with you?" He said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."
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 the female servants came forward with their children, and they bowed themselves.
Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed themselves.
7 Leah also and her children came forward, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
Lia also with her children came near, and bowed down in like manner, and last of all Joseph and Rachel bowed down.
8 Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" Jacob said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favour before my lord.
9 Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself."
But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself.
10 Jacob said, "No, please, if I have now found favor in our sight, then accept my present from my hand, because I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, since you have 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 Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has been gracious to me, and because I have enough." Thus he urged him, and he took 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 Esau said, "Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go ahead of you."
And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey.
13 Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the sheep and cattle with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, the whole herd will 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 Please let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will move along slowly, at the pace of the herds that are before me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at 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 Esau said, "Let me now leave with you some of my people who are with me." But he said, "What need is there? Please indulge me, my lord."
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 that day on the road to Seir.
So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir.
17 But Jacob traveled to Succoth, and he built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called 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 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, and camped near the city.
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 He purchased the parcel of land where he had pitched his tent, from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred kesitahs.
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 He erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.
And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel.