GenesisChapter 33

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¹Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with four hundred men. So he split up the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. ²He put the female servants and their children in front. He put Leah and her children next. He put Rachel and Joseph at the back. ³But Jacob himself went on ahead of them. As he came near his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times. ⁴But Esau ran to meet him and hugged him. He threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they both cried. ⁵Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. "Who are these people with you?" he asked. Jacob answered, "These are the children God has kindly given to me, your servant." ⁶Then the female servants and their children came near and bowed down. ⁷Leah and her children also came and bowed down. Then Joseph and Rachel came and bowed down. ⁸Esau asked, "What did you mean by all these groups I met?" Jacob answered, "I wanted you to be kind to me, my master." ⁹"I already have plenty, my brother," Esau said. "Keep what is yours." ¹⁰But Jacob said, "No, please! If you are pleased with me, take this gift from my hand. Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God, because you have welcomed me so kindly. ¹¹Please accept the gift I brought you, because God has been kind to me, and I have all I need." Jacob kept begging him until Esau took it. ¹²Then Esau said, "Let's be on our way. I will go ahead of you." ¹³But Jacob answered, "My master knows the children are weak. And I must take care of sheep and cattle that are feeding their young. If they are pushed too hard for even one day, all the animals will die. ¹⁴Please, my master, go on ahead of me, your servant. I will move along slowly. I will go at a pace that is easy for the animals and the children. Then I will come to you, my master, at Seir." ¹⁵Esau said, "Then let me leave some of my men with you." But Jacob said, "Why do that? I only want my master to be pleased with me." ¹⁶So that day Esau started back on his way to Seir. ¹⁷But Jacob went on to Succoth. There he built a house for himself and shelters for his animals. That is why the place was called Succoth.a ¹⁸Jacob had come from Paddan-aram. He arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan. He camped just outside the city. ¹⁹He bought the piece of land where he set up his tent. He bought it from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver. ²⁰He set up an altar there. He called it El-Elohe-Israel.b