Coming to meet him
Jacob looked up, and there was Esau coming, with four hundred men. So he split the children up between Leah and Rachel and the two servants. He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph at the back. And he went on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times as he came up to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him. He threw his arms around him, hugged his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
Jacob looked up, and there was Esau coming, with four hundred men. So he split the children up between Leah and Rachel and the two servants.
He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph at the back.
And he went on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times as he came up to his brother.
But Esau ran to meet him. He threw his arms around him, hugged his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
Who are these
Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he said. “The children God has been kind enough to give your servant,” he said. Then the servants and their children came forward and bowed down. Then Leah and her children came and bowed down, and last of all Joseph and Rachel came and bowed down. And Esau said, “What was all that lot I met for?” “To find favour with you, sir,” he said. And Esau said, “I've got plenty, brother. Keep what's yours.” “No, please,” said Jacob. “If I've found favour with you, take this present from me. To see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you've taken me back so kindly. Please take the gift I've brought you, because God has been good to me and I've got all I need.” And he pressed him, and Esau took it.
Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he said. “The children God has been kind enough to give your servant,” he said.
Then the servants and their children came forward and bowed down.
Then Leah and her children came and bowed down, and last of all Joseph and Rachel came and bowed down.
And Esau said, “What was all that lot I met for?” “To find favour with you, sir,” he said.
And Esau said, “I've got plenty, brother. Keep what's yours.”
“No, please,” said Jacob. “If I've found favour with you, take this present from me. To see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you've taken me back so kindly.
Please take the gift I've brought you, because God has been good to me and I've got all I need.” And he pressed him, and Esau took it.
Go on ahead
Then Esau said, “Let's get going, and I'll come along with you.” But Jacob said to him, “You know the children are small, sir, and I've got sheep and cattle with young. If they're pushed hard even for a day, the whole lot will die. Go on ahead of your servant, sir, and I'll come slowly, at the pace of the stock in front of me and the pace of the children, until I get to you in Seir.” And Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.” “Why do that?” said Jacob. “Just let me find favour with you, sir.” So that day Esau started back for Seir.
Then Esau said, “Let's get going, and I'll come along with you.”
But Jacob said to him, “You know the children are small, sir, and I've got sheep and cattle with young. If they're pushed hard even for a day, the whole lot will die.
Go on ahead of your servant, sir, and I'll come slowly, at the pace of the stock in front of me and the pace of the children, until I get to you in Seir.”
And Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.” “Why do that?” said Jacob. “Just let me find favour with you, sir.”
So that day Esau started back for Seir.
Settled
But Jacob went to Sukkoth, where he built himself a place and made shelters for his stock. That's why the place is called Sukkoth. And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in Canaan, on his way from Paddan Aram, and he camped within sight of the city. And he bought the piece of ground where he'd pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver. And there he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.
But Jacob went to Sukkoth, where he built himself a place and made shelters for his stock. That's why the place is called Sukkoth.
And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in Canaan, on his way from Paddan Aram, and he camped within sight of the city.
And he bought the piece of ground where he'd pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver.
And there he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.