Genesis 33: Jacob and Esau meet again
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Jacob bows to the ground seven times as he comes near Esau, but Esau runs to meet him and hugs him, and they weep. Esau at first refuses Jacob's present, then accepts it, and goes back to Seir. Jacob stops at Succoth, then buys land by the city of Shechem and builds an altar there.
Who is speaking?
Esau and Jacob speak to each other. God does not speak in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants.
In plain English: Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. He divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two servant women.
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2He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
In plain English: He put the servant women and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the back.
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3He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
In plain English: He himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed down to the ground seven times as he came near his brother.
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4Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
In plain English: Esau ran to meet him. He hugged him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him, and they wept.
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5He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” He said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
In plain English: Esau looked up and saw the women and the children. He asked, "Who are these with you?" Jacob said, "The children God has graciously given your servant."
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6Then the servants came near with their children, and they bowed themselves.
In plain English: Then the servant women came near with their children, and they bowed down.
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7Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
In plain English: Leah and her children also came near and bowed down. After them Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.
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8Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
In plain English: Esau asked, "What do you mean by this whole company I met?" Jacob said, "I wanted to find favor in my lord's eyes."
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9Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”
In plain English: Esau said, "I have plenty, my brother. Keep what is yours."
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10Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me.
In plain English: Jacob said, "No, please. If I have found favor with you, accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, and you have welcomed me.
Good to know: Jacob tells Esau that seeing his face is "as one sees the face of God". The night before, at Peniel, he said, "I have seen God face to face" ().
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11Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.
In plain English: Please take the gift I brought you, because God has been gracious to me, and I have all I need." Jacob kept urging him, and Esau took it.
The Hebrew word: "Gift" here is berakhah, the usual word for "blessing": Jacob says, "Please take my blessing." In he used a different word, minchah, a present.
How it is translated: This Bible says "blessing" for berakhah in 46 of its 64 verses, and "gift" in 2.
Good to know: It is the same word Isaac used when Jacob took Esau's blessing: "has taken away your blessing" ().
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12Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.”
In plain English: Esau said, "Let us set out and be on our way. I will go ahead of you."
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13Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.
In plain English: Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are weak, and that the flocks and herds with me are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even one day, all the flocks will die.
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14Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.”
In plain English: Please let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will move along slowly, at the pace of the livestock in front of me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir."
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15Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
In plain English: Esau said, "Then let me leave some of my people with you." Jacob said, "Why do that? Just let me find favor in my lord's eyes."
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16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
In plain English: So that day Esau went back on his way to Seir.
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17Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
In plain English: Jacob traveled to Succoth. He built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.
Good to know: Succoth means "booths", or shelters. The place is named after the shelters (sukkot) Jacob made for his livestock.
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18Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city.
In plain English: On his way from Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem (or: came to Shalem, a city of Shechem), in the land of Canaan, and camped in front of the city.
The Hebrew word: "In peace" is shalem: whole, complete, safe.
How it is translated: Older Bibles like the King James read it as the name of a town: Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem.
What changes: Read as a word, Jacob reached the city of Shechem safe and sound. Read as a name, he came to a town called Shalem, which belonged to Shechem.
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19He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.
In plain English: He bought the piece of ground where he had pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money.
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20He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.
In plain English: He set up an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.
Good to know: El Elohe Israel means "God, the God of Israel" (the dictionary gives "the mighty God of Israel"). Jacob had just been given the name Israel ().
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