Jacob Meets Esau

1Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves. 2He put the female slaves and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3He himself went on ahead and bowed to the grounda seven times until he approached his brother.

4But Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept.b 5When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you? ”

He answered, “The children God has graciously given your servant.”c 6Then the female slaves and their children approached him and bowed down. 7Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.

8So Esau said, “What do you mean by this whole processiond I met? ”e

“To find favor with you, my lord,”f he answered.

9“I have enough, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what you have.”

10But Jacob said, “No, please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me. 11Please take my present that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have everything I need.” So Jacob urged him until he accepted.

12Then Esau said, “Let’s move on, and I’ll go ahead of you.”

13Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and I have nursing sheep and cattle. If they are driven hard for one day, the whole herd will die. 14Let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a pace suited to the livestock and the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”

15Esau said, “Let me leave some of my people with you.”

But he replied, “Why do that? Please indulge me,g my lord.”h

16That day Esau started on his way back to Seir, 17but Jacob went on to Succoth. He built a house for himself and stalls for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth.i, j

18After Jacob came from Paddan-aram, he arrived safelyk at Shecheml in the land of Canaan and camped in front of the city. 19He purchased a section of the field where he had pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for 100 qesitahs.m, n 20And he set up an altar there and called it “God, the God of Israel.”o