Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)“No, please,” Yacobinsisted. “If I’ve won your favour, then take my gifts. Because indeed, I’ve seen you face-to-face, which is like seeing God’s face, and you’ve received me favourably.
Key: khaki:verbs, blue:Elohim.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXXΕἶπε δὲ Ἰακὼβ, εἰ εὓρον χάριν ἐναντίον σου, δέξαι τὰ δῶρα διὰ τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν· ἕνεκεν τούτου εἶδον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, ὡς ἄν τις ἴδοι πρόσωπον Θεοῦ, καὶ εὐδοκήσεις με. (Eipe de Yakōb, ei heuron ⱪarin enantion sou, dexai ta dōra dia tōn emōn ⱪeirōn; heneken toutou eidon to prosōpon sou, hōs an tis idoi prosōpon Theou, kai eudokaʸseis me. )
BrTrAnd Jacob said, If I have found grace in thy sight, receive the gifts through my hands; therefore have I seen thy face, as if any one should see the face of God, and thou shalt be well-pleased with me.
ULTBut 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.
USTBut Jacob insisted, “Please do not refuse my gifts. Rather, if you want to be kind to me, then please accept these gifts from me. After all, for me to see your face is like seeing God’s face, especially since you have welcomed me so kindly.
BSB § But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably.
OEBBut Jacob replied, ‘No, if now I have won your favour, receive this present from me, because seeing your face when you welcomed me was like seeing the face of God.
WEBBEJacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favour 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.
NET“No, please take them,” Jacob said. “If I have found favor in your sight, accept my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, it is as if I have seen the face of God.
LSVAnd Jacob says, “No, please, now if I have found grace in your eyes, then you have received my present from my hand, because that I have seen your face, as the seeing of the face of God, and you are pleased with me;
FBV“No, please!” Jacob insisted. “If you're happy with me, then please accept the gift I'm giving you. Now I've seen your face again it's like seeing the face of God, and you have welcomed me so kindly!
T4TBut Jacob said, “No, please, if you feel good toward me, accept these gifts from me. You have greeted me very kindly. Seeing your smiling face assures me that you have forgiven me. It is like seeing the face of God!
LEBAnd Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your eyes, you must take my gift from my hand, for then I have seen your face which is like seeing the face of God, and you have received me.
BBEAnd Jacob said, Not so; but if I have grace in your eyes, take them as a sign of my love, for I have seen your face as one may see the face of God, and you have been pleased with me.
JPSAnd Jacob said: 'Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found favour in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
ASVAnd Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found favor in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
DRAAnd Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found favour in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have seen thy face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be gracious to me,
YLTAnd Jacob saith, 'Nay, I pray thee, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, then thou hast received my present from my hand, because that I have seen thy face, as the seeing of the face of God, and thou art pleased with me;
DrbyAnd Jacob said, No, I pray thee; if now I have found favour in thine eyes, then receive my gift from my hand; for therefore have I seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of [fn]God, and thou hast received me with pleasure.
RVAnd Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
WbstrAnd Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou hast been pleased with me.
KJB-1769And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. (And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee/you, if now I have found grace in thy/your sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy/your face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou/you wast pleased with me. )
KJB-1611And Iacob saide, Nay, I pray thee: if now I haue found grace in thy sight, then receiue my present at my hand: for therefore I haue seene thy face, as though I had seene the face of God; and thou wast pleased with me. (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)
BshpsAnd Iacob answered: Nay I pray thee, but if I haue founde grace in thy sight, receaue I pray thee my present of my hande: for I haue seene thy face, as though I had seene the face of God, and so thou hast receaued me to grace. (And Yacob answered: Nay I pray thee/you, but if I have found grace in thy/your sight, receive I pray thee/you my present of my hande: for I have seen thy/your face, as though I had seen the face of God, and so thou/you hast received me to grace.)
GnvaBut Iaakob answered, Nay, I pray thee: if I haue found grace nowe in thy sight, then receiue my present at mine hande: for I haue seene thy face, as though I had seene the face of God, because thou hast accepted me. (But Yacob answered, Nay, I pray thee/you: if I have found grace now in thy/your sight, then receive my present at mine hande: for I have seen thy/your face, as though I had seen the face of God, because thou/you hast accepted me. )
CvdlIacob answered: Oh nay, but yf I haue founde grace in yi sight, receaue my present of my hande (for I sawe thy face, as though I had sene the face of God) and be at one with me. (Yacob answered: Oh nay, but if I have found grace in yi sight, receive my present of my hand (for I saw thy/your face, as though I had seen the face of God) and be at one with me.)
WyclAnd Jacob seide, Y biseche, nyle thou so, but if Y foond grace in thin iyen, take thou a litil yifte of myn hondis; for Y seiy so thi face as I seiy the cheer of God; (And Yacob said, I beseech/implore, nyle thou/you so, but if I found grace in thin eyes, take thou/you a little yifte of mine hands; for I see so thy/your face as I see the cheer of God;)
LuthJakob antwortete: Ach nicht! Habe ich Gnade funden vor dir, so nimm mein Geschenk von meiner Hand; denn ich sah dein Angesicht, als sähe ich Gottes Angesicht; und laß dir‘s wohlgefallen von mir. (Yakob replied: Ach not! goods I Gnade funden before/in_front_of to_you, so nimm my Geschenk from my Hand; because I saw your face, als sähe I God’s face; and let dir‘s wohlgefallen from to_me.)
ClVgDixitque Jacob: Noli ita, obsecro: sed si inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, accipe munusculum de manibus meis. Sic enim vidi faciem tuam, quasi viderim vultum Dei: esto mihi propitius,[fn] (And_he_said Yacob: Noli ita, obsecro: but when/but_if inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, accipe munusculum about manibus meis. So because I_saw face your, as_if viderim vultum of_God: esto to_me propitius, )
33.10Sic enim vidi, etc. AUG., Q. in Gen. tom. 3 Utrum paventis et perturbati animi verba, etc., usque ad qui Græcum audire et intelligere solent.
33.10So because vidi, etc. AUG., Q. in Gen. tom. 3 Utrum paventis and perturbati animi verba, etc., until to who Græcum audire and intelligere solent.
Alternate translation: “But Jacob responded to him,”
אַל נָא֙
not now
In verses 10 and 11, Jacob speaks urgently to Esau, because in that culture if Esau accepts Jacob’s gift, he is committing himself to treat Jacob as a friend. Alternate translation: “No, I beg you.”
אִם נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ
if now found graciousness/kindness/favour/beauty in/on/at/with,eyes,your
See how you translated the idiom “find/gain favor in your eyes” in verse 8. Alternate translation: “Rather, if you are pleased with me,” or “Rather, if you want to be gracious to me, then”
see face,your like,seeing face/surface_of ʼElohīm and,received_~_favorably,me
In Old Testament times it was terrifying for someone to see God in person, because normally people could not see God’s face and live (Exodus 33:20). However, God had been gracious to Jacob and allowed him to live (Genesis 32:30). In the same way, it was a terrifying thing for Jacob to see Esau who had 400 men with him, but Esau was gracious to him (33:4). See how you translated a different Hebrew word that means “receive” or “welcome” in Gen 32:20. Alternate translation: “I thought you were still angry at me, so I was afraid of seeing you again in person, just as I would be afraid of meeting God in person, but you forgave me and welcomed me!”
Though the patriarch Isaac moved from place to place several times within southern Canaan, compared to his father Abraham and his son Jacob, Isaac appears to have been a bit of a homebody. In fact, unless Isaac resettled in places not recorded in Scripture, the farthest extent he ever traveled appears to have been only about 90 miles (113 km). Yet, as the child of God’s promise to Abraham to build a great nation from his descendants, Isaac’s relatively simple life served as a critical bridge from Abraham to the beginnings of the twelve tribes of Israel, who were descended from Isaac’s son Jacob. It is likely that Isaac was born at Beersheba (see Genesis 21:1-24), and later Abraham offered him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (located at Jerusalem; see 2 Chronicles 3:1). Then Abraham, Isaac, and those with them returned to Beersheba (Genesis 22:1-19). When Isaac reached adulthood, his father sent a servant to bring back a bride for him from Aram-naharaim, far north of Canaan. When his bride, Rebekah, arrived, Isaac had just come from Beer-lahai-roi and settled in the Negev (Genesis 24:62). Later Isaac resettled with Rebekah in Beer-lahai-roi, and this may have been where their twins son Esau and Jacob were born. A famine forced Isaac to go to Gerar (Genesis 26:1-6) in “the land of the Philistines.” The distinct people group known as the Philistines in later books of the Bible did not arrive until the time of the Judges, so the term here must have referred to another people group living in this region, and this is supported by the fact that King Abimelech’s name is Semitic, not Aegean (the likely origin of the later Philistines). While Isaac was there, he repeated his father’s error (Genesis 20) by lying to the king that his wife was only his sister. Isaac also became increasingly prosperous at Gerar, so the Philistines told him to leave their region. Isaac moved away from the town of Gerar and settled further away in the valley of Gerar. There he dug a well, but the Philistines claimed it for themselves, so he called it Esek, meaning “argument.” So Isaac’s men dug another well and called it Sitnah (meaning “hostility”), but it led to more quarreling, so he dug yet another well and called it Rehoboth (meaning “open space”). The locations of these two later wells are not certain, but they may have been located near Ruheibeh as shown on this map. Then Isaac moved to Beersheba and built an altar. He also dug a well there, and King Abimelech of the Philistines came and exchanged oaths of peace with him. It was likely at Beersheba that Isaac blessed his sons Esau and Jacob, and both sons eventually left Canaan (see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). When Jacob later returned, he traveled to Mamre near Hebron and reunited with Isaac. Sometime after this Isaac died, and Jacob and Esau buried him there.
Jacob Travels to Southern Canaan
Genesis 32-36
As with many of the stories of the Bible, the events of Jacob’s life are often misunderstood by readers as disjointed pericopes arranged primarily for theological and cultural purposes. Because of this, readers often fail to see that these stories follow a clear geographical progression of the patriarch throughout the land of Canaan. This realistic and coherent geographical framework behind the stories gives strong support to the belief that these stories are authentic, historical accounts of the experiences of Jacob and his ancestors. The overall framework for virtually all of Jacob’s stories is very simple: Jacob is born and raised in southern Canaan but comes into conflict with his twin brother Esau, so he flees to Paddan-aram in Mesopotamia (Genesis 25-28; see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). There he builds a large family and great wealth (Genesis 29-30) and eventually returns to southern Canaan, likely retracing the exact steps he followed when he fled (Genesis 31-35; see also “Jacob Returns to Canaan” map). During this time, Esau moves to the hill country of Seir, likely just south of southern Canaan (“Edom and the Land of Seir” map), and establishes his own family there, giving rise to the nation of Edom (Genesis 36). Though the primary intent of Jacob’s return was no doubt to resettle in Canaan, comments made during his reunion with Esau near Peniel may reveal that he also intended to travel even further to Seir to visit his brother there (Genesis 33:12-14). After crossing from Mahanaim to Peniel in Gilead, Jacob reunites with Esau and settles in Succoth for a time and builds a house for himself and booths for his cattle. He eventually crosses the Jordan River and enters Canaan, stopping first at the ancient city of Shechem. There Jacob’s daughter Dinah is defiled by the son of the region’s leader, and her brothers take revenge by killing all the men of the city. Thus, Jacob is forced to leave, but first he calls upon all his household to purify themselves. He collects their idols and rings and buries them beneath a tree in Shechem. Upon reaching Bethel, Jacob builds an altar and calls it El-bethel. The nurse of Jacob’s mother Rebekah also dies at Bethel and is buried under an oak below the town, leading them to call the place Allon-bacuth (“oak of weeping”). Jacob and his family leave for Bethlehem, but very soon after they start the journey Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and then dies. Jacob buries her along the way, apparently near a place called Zelzah (or perhaps Elzah; see 1 Samuel 10 and “Saul Search for His Donkeys” map). Jacob continues on and camps beyond the tower of Eder, perhaps near Bethlehem, since that seems to have been his original destination. Finally Jacob reaches Mamre and Hebron. Soon after this Isaac dies, and Esau and Jacob bury him. The story of Jacob’s journey ends at Genesis 35, and we are not explicitly told if Jacob traveled even further to Seir. Genesis 36, however, catalogs the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, perhaps indicating that Jacob did indeed fulfill the intentions he stated in Genesis 33:12-14.
