Jacob Reconciles with Esau and Settles in Shechem

33:1-20

33 Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and with him 400 men. Then he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maidservants. 2 And he put the maidservants and their children first, and Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph after them. 3 Then he himself went before them, and he bowed to the ground seven times as he came near to his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and he fell on his neck and kissed him, and they cried. 5 Then he lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and he said, “Who are these with you?” And he said, “The children whom God has graciously given to your servant.” 6 Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and they bowed down. 7 Then Leah also came near and her children, and they bowed down. Then after that, Joseph came near and Rachel, and they bowed down.

8 Then he said, “What to you are all these groups that I met?” And he said, “To find favor in the eyes of my lord.” 9 Then Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Let what belongs to you be yours.” 10 But Jacob said, “No, please. If, please, I have found favor in your eyes, then take my gift from my hand. For indeed I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have received me. 11 Please take my blessing that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me, and because I have everything.” And he urged him, so he took it.

12 Then he said, “Let’s travel and go, and I will go in front of you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and the flocks and the herds that are nursing are with me. And if they drive them one day, then all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord go on before his servant, and I will lead them on at my gentle pace, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 And Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.” 16 So on that day Esau went on his way back to Seir. 17 And Jacob traveled to Succoth, and he built a house for himself, and for his livestock he made shelters. For that reason he called the name of the place Succoth. 18 Then Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which was in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram, and he camped before the city. 19 And he bought the portion of the field where he pitched his tents from the hands of the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred kesitahs. 20 And there he set up an altar, and he called it El Elohe Israel.