Genesis 33

1 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.

2 He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.

3 But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4 Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

6 Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down.

7 Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.

8 “What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.

9 “I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”

10 But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably.

11 Please accept my gift that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” So Jacob pressed him until he accepted.

12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”

13 But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all the animals will die.

14 Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”

15 “Let me leave some of my people with you,” Esau said. But Jacob replied, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir,

17 but Jacob went on to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth.

18 After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city.

19 And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.

20 There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

1 ¶ 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 Elelohe-Israel.

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and saw Esau his brother coming with four hundred men. And he divided his children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto both his handmaids.

2 And he put the handmaids and their children in the first place, and Leah and her children after her, and Rachel and Joseph last.

3 And went before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came 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 with the children, and said, Who are these with thee? And he said, They are the children which God hath given unto thy servant.

6 And the handmaids came near with their children, and bowed themselves to him.

7 And Leah came near with her children, and bowed themselves to him. And afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and bowed themselves to him.

8 And he said, What wilt thou have with all this host that I have met? And he said, That I may find grace in the sight of my lord.

9 And Esau said: I have enough, my brother; keep what you have.

10 And Jacob said, Alas not! If I have found grace in thy sight, take my gift out of my hand: for I have seen thy face, as I saw the face of God: and let it please thee of me.

11 But receive from me the blessing which I have bestowed upon thee: for God hath bestowed it upon me, and I have enough. So he compelled him to take it.

12 And he said, Let us depart, and travel: I will go with thee.

13 And he said unto him, My lord, thou knowest that I have tender children with me, and cattle and suckling cows: if they should overdo it one day, all the flock would die unto me.

14 Let my lord go before his servant. I will go by and by, and after that the cattle and the children shall go, until I come to my lord in Seir.

15 And Esau said, I will leave with thee some of the people that are with me. And he said, What need is there? Only let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

16 So Esau went his way again that day to Seir.

17 And Jacob went to Shukoth, and built him an house, and made tents for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is Shukoth.

18 After this Jacob went against Salem, unto the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, (after he was come out of Mesopotamia,) and pitched before the city.

19 And he bought a piece of ground of the sons of Hemor the father of Shechem for an hundred pence; and there he pitched his tent.

20 And there he prepared an altar, and called upon the name of the strong God of Israel.