Jacob Meets Esau
Study note
Jacob sees Esau approaching with his 400 men and arranges his family in order, placing the servants and their children first, then Leah and her children, and Rachel and Joseph last. Jacob himself goes ahead of them all and bows to the ground seven times as he approaches his brother. But Esau runs to Jacob and embraces him, throws his arms around his neck, and kisses him. They both weep. Esau meets Jacob's family and initially tries to refuse the generous gifts, saying he already has plenty. But Jacob insists, saying that seeing Esau's face is like seeing the face of God.
1 Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his 400 men. Jacob quickly set up his family. He put the servant wives and their children in front. Leah and her children went next. Rachel and Joseph were at the very back. 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 arranged them this way purposefully, with the servants first, Leah's group next, 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 walked out ahead of everyone. He bowed all the way to the ground seven times as he got closer to his brother. And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 But Esau broke into a sprint, threw his arms around Jacob, hugged him tight, and kissed his neck. Both brothers stood there crying. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
5 When Esau finally looked around at all the women and children, he asked, "Who are all these people with you?" Jacob said, "These are the children God has generously given me." 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 servant wives and their kids came forward first and bowed respectfully. Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
7 Then Leah came forward with her children and bowed. Finally Joseph and Rachel came and bowed. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8 Esau asked, "What was the deal with all those herds of animals I ran into on the way here?" Jacob said, "They were a gift to win your favor, my lord." 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 Esau said, "Brother, I've got plenty already. Keep your belongings." And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
10 Jacob insisted, "No, please! If you're happy to see me, then please accept my gift. Looking at your face right now — it's like looking at the face of God, because you've been so kind to me." 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 this present I've brought for you. God has been so generous to me, and I have more than enough." Jacob kept pushing until Esau finally accepted. 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.
Jacob Settles in Shechem
Study note
Esau offers to travel with Jacob or leave some of his men as an escort, but Jacob politely declines, saying he needs to travel slowly because of the children and young animals. Esau returns to Seir in the south. Jacob travels to Sukkoth, where he builds shelters for his livestock. Then he moves on to Shechem in Canaan and buys a piece of land near the city. He sets up an altar there and calls it El Elohe Israel, meaning 'God, the God of Israel,' using his new name for the first time.
12 Esau suggested, "Let's hit the road. I'll travel alongside you." And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
13 But Jacob said, "As you can see, my lord, the children are young and I've got nursing animals that can't be pushed too hard. If we go too fast for even one day, the animals could 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 "Why don't you go on ahead? I'll take it slow, at a pace the animals and children can handle, and I'll catch up with you down in 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 Esau offered, "At least let me leave some of my men with you." Jacob said, "That's kind, but truly, you don't need to. I want to stay in your good graces." 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 headed back toward Seir that same day. So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
17 But Jacob went in a different direction — to Sukkoth, where he built a house and put up shelters for his animals. That's why the place is called Sukkoth, meaning 'shelters.' 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 After leaving Paddan Aram, Jacob arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan. He set up camp just outside the city. 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 purchased the land where he camped from the family of Hamor (Shechem's father) for a hundred pieces of silver. 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 named it El Elohe Israel, which means 'God, the God of Israel.' And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.