Table of Contents

Genesis 33 Discussion

Genesis 33

1 And Jacob looked and saw Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids.

2 And he put the handmaids and their children in front, then Leah and her children, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.

3 And he himself went before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Esau and Jacob meet and are agreed.

4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.

5 And he looked and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” And he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”

6 Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7 And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves; and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8 And he said, “What is the meaning of this company which I met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

9 And Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”

10 And Jacob said, “No, I pray thee, if I have found favor in your sight, then receive this present from my hand; for I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me.

Esau receiveth his gifts.

11 Take, I pray thee, this gift[b] that I have brought to you; because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough[c].” 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 you.”

13 And he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are still young, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young; and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.

14 Let my lord go ahead of his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 And Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the folk that are with me.” And he said, “What needeth it? let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

16 So Esau returned that day, on his way, to Seir.

17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built a house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth[d].

18 And Jacob came in peace[e] to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and encamped before the city.

Jacob buyeth a possession,

19 And he bought the parcel of ground, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred [f]pieces of money.

And buildeth an altar.

20 And there he built an altar, and called it [g]El-Elohe-Israel.

Notes

[3] Of course, this is not an act of worship, but of humility. Bowing down does not always indicate worship (and there is no indication of the manner of which he bowed). Ex. Joshua bows to an Angel, Abraham bows before three men, etc.

[8] ‘and he said,’ and ‘and he said,’ gives no indication of who is talking directly and must be understood in the direct context of the story as it is presented (ex. ‘The LORD said to my Lord,’ In Psalms). Also see 33:12-14 for similar language.

[10] Or, for therefore have I seen

[11] Hebrew blessing.

[11] Hebrew all.

[12-14] This illustrates the difference in perspective between Esau and Jacob; Esau wanted to rush ahead into the holy land, while Jacob realized it would take time and patience to teach the children at their own pace. They must be guided, not forced.

[17] That is, Booths.

[18] Or, to Shalem, a city

[19] Hebrew kesitah.

[20] That is, God, the God of Israel.