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Genesis 33
Expanded Bible
Genesis 33
Expanded Bible
Jacob Shows His Bravery
33 Jacob ·looked up [L raised his eyes] and saw Esau coming, and with him were four hundred men. So Jacob divided his children among Leah, Rachel, and the two slave girls. 2 Jacob put the slave girls with their children first, then Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph last [C least favorite to most favorite]. 3 Jacob himself ·went out [passed] in front of them and bowed down flat on the ground seven times ·as he was walking toward [or until he came near] his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and ·put his arms around [hugged] him and ·hugged him [L fell on his neck]. Then Esau kissed him, and they both cried. 5 When ·Esau looked up [L he raised his eyes] and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?”
Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given me, your servant.”
6 Then the two slave girls and their children came up to Esau and bowed down flat on the earth before him. 7 Leah and her children also came up to Esau and also bowed down flat on the earth. Last of all, Joseph and Rachel came up to Esau, and they, too, bowed down flat before him.
8 Esau said, “·I saw many herds as I was coming here. Why did you bring them [L What is all this camp that I encountered]?”
Jacob answered, “They were to ·please you, my master [L find grace/favor in the eyes of my master/lord].”
9 But Esau said, “I already have enough, my brother. Keep what you have.”
10 Jacob said, “No! Please! If I have ·pleased you [L found grace/favor in your eyes], then ·accept the gift I give you [L take my gift/tribute from my hand]. ·I am very happy to see your face again. It [L Seeing your face] is like seeing the face of God, because you have accepted me. 11 So I beg you to accept the ·gift [present; L blessing] I give you. God has been very ·good [gracious; favorable] to me, and I have ·more than [all that] I need.” And because ·Jacob begged [he urged him], Esau ·accepted [took] the gift.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be going. I will travel with you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My ·master [L lord], you know that the children are ·weak [soft; frail]. And I must be careful with my flocks ·and their young ones [L and herds that are nursing]. If I ·force them to go too far [push them too fast] in one day, ·all the animals [the entire flock] will die. 14 So, my ·master [lord], you ·go [pass] on ahead of me, your servant. I will follow you slowly and let the animals and the children set the speed at which we travel. I will meet you, my ·master [lord], in ·Edom [L Seir; 14:6].”
15 So Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my people with you.”
“No, thank you,” said Jacob. “·I only want to please you, my master [L Why should I find such grace/favor in the eyes of my master/lord?].” 16 So that day Esau started back to ·Edom [L Seir; 14:6]. 17 But Jacob went to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and ·shelters [booths] for his animals. That is why the place was named Succoth [C sounds like “shelter” in Hebrew].
18 Jacob left ·northwestern Mesopotamia [L Paddan-aram] and arrived safely at the city of Shechem [12:6] in the land of Canaan. There he camped ·east of [L before] the city. 19 He bought a ·part [parcel; portion] of the field where he had camped from the sons of Hamor father of Shechem for one hundred ·pieces of silver [L qesitah; C an uncertain monetary unit; Josh. 24:32; John 4:5, 6, 12; Acts 7:16]. 20 He ·built [erected] an altar there and named it ·after God, the God of Israel [L El-Elohe-Israel].
Genesis 33
New Living Translation
Genesis 33
New Living Translation
Jacob and Esau Make Peace
33 Then Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant wives. 2 He put the servant wives and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him. 4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
5 Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?”
“These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant,” Jacob replied. 6 Then the servant wives came forward with their children and bowed before him. 7 Next came Leah with her children, and they bowed before him. Finally, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed before him.
8 “And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?” Esau asked.
Jacob replied, “They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship.”
9 “My brother, I have plenty,” Esau answered. “Keep what you have for yourself.”
10 But Jacob insisted, “No, if I have found favor with you, please accept this gift from me. And what a relief to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the face of God! 11 Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift.
12 “Well,” Esau said, “let’s be going. I will lead the way.”
13 But Jacob replied, “You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die. 14 Please, my lord, go ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir.”
15 “All right,” Esau said, “but at least let me assign some of my men to guide and protect you.”
Jacob responded, “That’s not necessary. It’s enough that you’ve received me warmly, my lord!”
16 So Esau turned around and started back to Seir that same day. 17 Jacob, on the other hand, traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Succoth (which means “shelters”).
18 Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town. 19 Jacob bought the plot of land where he camped from the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver.[a] 20 And there he built an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel.[b]
Genesis 33
New International Version
Genesis 33
New International Version
Jacob Meets Esau
33 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men;(A) so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants.(B) 2 He put the female servants and their children(C) in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph(D) in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground(E) seven times(F) as he approached his brother.
4 But Esau(G) ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.(H) And they wept.(I) 5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.
Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.(J)”
6 Then the female servants and their children(K) approached and bowed down.(L) 7 Next, Leah and her children(M) came and bowed down.(N) Last of all came Joseph and Rachel,(O) and they too bowed down.
8 Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?”(P)
“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,”(Q) he said.
9 But Esau said, “I already have plenty,(R) my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes,(S) accept this gift(T) from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God,(U) now that you have received me favorably.(V) 11 Please accept the present(W) that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me(X) and I have all I need.”(Y) And because Jacob insisted,(Z) Esau accepted it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord(AA) knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young.(AB) If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds(AC) before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.(AD)”
15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”
“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”(AE)
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir.(AF) 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth,(AG) where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.[a]
18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,[b](AH) he arrived safely at the city of Shechem(AI) in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver,[c] he bought from the sons of Hamor,(AJ) the father of Shechem,(AK) the plot of ground(AL) where he pitched his tent.(AM) 20 There he set up an altar(AN) and called it El Elohe Israel.[d]
Footnotes
- Genesis 33:17 Sukkoth means shelters.
- Genesis 33:18 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 33:19 Hebrew hundred kesitahs; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value.
- Genesis 33:20 El Elohe Israel can mean El is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.
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