33 Jacob looked up. He saw Esau with 400 men coming towards him. So he separated his children into groups. Some went with Leah, some went with Rachel, and some went with his two female servants. 2 He put his female servants and their children at the front of the group. Then came Leah and her children. But Jacob put his son Joseph with Rachel at the back of the group. 3 Jacob himself went in front of these groups. He bent down to the ground to respect Esau. He did this seven times as he came nearer to his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and he hugged him. He put his arms round Jacob's neck and he kissed him. They both wept.
5 Then Esau looked up. He saw the women and children. He asked, ‘Who are these people with you?’ Jacob replied, ‘They are the children that God has given to me, your servant.’
6 Then the female servants and their children came to Esau. As they came near to him, they bent down to the ground. 7 Then Leah and her children came and they bent down in front of Esau. Last of all, Joseph and Rachel came to Esau and they also bent down to the ground. 8 Esau asked Jacob, ‘Why did you send all those animals in front of you?’ Jacob replied, ‘So that you would be happy to see me, my lord.’ 9 But Esau said, ‘Keep your animals for yourself, my brother. I have enough animals of my own.’ 10 But Jacob replied, ‘No! If you are happy to see me, please accept these animals as a gift from me. When you met me and I saw your face, it was as if I saw the face of God himself. I am happy that you have met me as a friend. 11 So please accept the gift that I brought to you. God has been very kind to me so that I have everything that I need.’ So Esau accepted the gifts because Jacob would not agree to keep them.
12 Then Esau said, ‘Let us continue to go on our way. I will travel with you.’ 13 But Jacob said, ‘My lord, the children are not very strong. Many of the animals have young babies. If we go too far in one day, then all the animals will die. 14 So you should go in front of me, my lord. I will travel slowly with the animals and children, so that they are comfortable. Then, my lord, I will come to you in Seir.’
15 Esau said, ‘Then let me leave some of my men to travel with you.’ But Jacob replied, ‘You do not need to do that. All I want is for you to be happy with me.’
16 So Esau began his journey back to Seir that same day. 17 But Jacob went to Succoth instead. He built a house for himself, and he made huts for his animals. That is why the place is called Succoth. [ a ]
18 After Jacob left Paddan Aram, he travelled safely to Canaan. He put up his tents there, near the city of Shechem. 19 He bought the piece of ground where he had put up his tents. He paid 100 pieces of silver to Hamor's sons to buy the land. Hamor was the father of Shechem.
20 Jacob built an altar in that place. He called the altar ‘The God of Israel is the true God’.
33 Jacob looked and saw Esau coming with 400 men. Jacob divided his family into four groups. Leah and her children were in one group, Rachel and Joseph were in one group, and the two maids and their children were in two groups. 2 Jacob put the maids with their children first. Then he put Leah and her children behind them, and he put Rachel and Joseph in the last place.
3 Jacob himself went out before them. While he was walking toward his brother Esau, he bowed down to the ground seven times.
4 When Esau saw Jacob, he ran to meet him. He put his arms around Jacob, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both cried. 5 Esau looked up and saw the women and children. He said, “Who are all these people with you?”
Jacob answered, “These are the children that God gave me. God has been good to me.”
6 Then the two maids and the children with them went to Esau. They bowed down before him. 7 Then Leah and the children with her went to Esau and bowed down. And then Rachel and Joseph went to him and bowed down.
8 Esau said, “Who were all those people I saw while I was coming here? And what were all those animals for?”
Jacob answered, “These are my gifts to you so that you might accept me.”
9 But Esau said, “You don’t have to give me gifts, brother. I have enough for myself.”
10 Jacob said, “No, I beg you! If you really accept me, please accept the gifts I give you. I am very happy to see your face again. It is like seeing the face of God. I am very happy to see that you accept me. 11 So I beg you to also accept the gifts I give you. God has been very good to me. I have more than I need.” Because Jacob begged Esau to take the gifts, he accepted them.
12 Then Esau said, “Now you can continue your journey. I will go with you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “You know that my children are weak. And I must be careful with my flocks and their young animals. If I force them to walk too far in one day, all the animals will die. 14 So you go on ahead. I will follow you slowly. I will go slowly enough for the cattle and other animals to be safe and so that my children will not get too tired. I will meet you in Seir.”
15 So Esau said, “Then I will leave some of my men to help you.”
But Jacob said, “That is very kind of you, but there is no need to do that.” 16 So that day Esau started on his trip back to Seir. 17 But Jacob went to Succoth. [ a ] There he built a house for himself and small barns for his cattle. That is why the place was named Succoth.
18 Jacob safely ended his trip from Paddan Aram when he came to the town of Shechem in Canaan. He made his camp in a field near the city. 19 He bought the field where he camped from the family of Hamor, father of Shechem. He paid 100 pieces of silver for it. 20 He built an altar there to honor God. He named the place “El, [ b ] the God of Israel.”
33 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 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
5 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 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8 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 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
10 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 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 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
13 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 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 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 returned that day on his way unto Seir.
17 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 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
19 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 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.
33 Then Jacob raised his eyes and looked, and behold, ( A ) Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children [ a ] among Leah and Rachel, and the two slave women. 2 He put the slave women and their children [ b ] in front, and Leah and her children [ c ] next, and Rachel and Joseph [ d ] last. 3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and ( B ) bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and ( C ) fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 He raised his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “ [ e ] Who are these with you?” So he said, “ ( D ) The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the slave women came forward [ f ] with their children, and they bowed down. 7 And Leah likewise came forward with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed down. 8 And he said, “What do you mean by ( E ) all this company which I have met?” And he said, “ ( F ) To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “ ( G ) I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift from my hand, [ g ] for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept my [ h ] ( H ) gift which has been brought to you, ( I ) because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have [ i ] plenty.” So he urged him, and he accepted it .
12 Then [ j ] Esau said, “Let’s journey on and go, and I will go ahead of you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds that are nursing are [ k ] a matter of concern to me. And if they are driven hard just one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, at the pace of the cattle that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at ( J ) Seir.”
15 Then Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “ [ l ] What need is there? ( K ) Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to [ m ] ( L ) Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.
18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of ( M ) Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from ( N ) Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. 19 ( O ) He bought the plot of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred [ n ] pieces of money. 20 Then he erected there an altar and called it [ o ] El-Elohe-Israel.
33 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; ( A ) so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. ( B ) 2 He put the female servants and their children ( C ) in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph ( D ) in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground ( E ) seven times ( F ) as he approached his brother.
4 But Esau ( G ) ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. ( H ) And they wept. ( I ) 5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.
Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant. ( J ) ”
6 Then the female servants and their children ( K ) approached and bowed down. ( L ) 7 Next, Leah and her children ( M ) came and bowed down. ( N ) Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, ( O ) and they too bowed down.
8 Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?” ( P )
“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” ( Q ) he said.
9 But Esau said, “I already have plenty, ( R ) my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes, ( S ) accept this gift ( T ) from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, ( U ) now that you have received me favorably. ( V ) 11 Please accept the present ( W ) that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me ( X ) and I have all I need.” ( Y ) And because Jacob insisted, ( Z ) Esau accepted it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord ( AA ) knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. ( AB ) If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds ( AC ) before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir. ( AD ) ”
15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”
“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.” ( AE )
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. ( AF ) 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, ( AG ) where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth. [ a ]
18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, [ b ] ( AH ) he arrived safely at the city of Shechem ( AI ) in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver, [ c ] he bought from the sons of Hamor, ( AJ ) the father of Shechem, ( AK ) the plot of ground ( AL ) where he pitched his tent. ( AM ) 20 There he set up an altar ( AN ) and called it El Elohe Israel. [ d ]
