1And Jacob looked up, and saw Esau approaching, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids. 2And he moved the handmaids and their children to the front, then Leah and her children, and then Rachel and Joseph in the last group. 3And he went before them, and bowed to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him: and they wept. 5And Esau looked up, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” And Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the handmaidens came near, with their children, and they bowed. 7Next, Leah with her children approached, and bowed; and after that came Joseph and Rachel, and they also bowed. 8And Esau asked, “What was the meaning of all these flocks and herds that I met?” And Jacob said, “These are to find grace in your sight, my lord.” 9And Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10And Jacob said, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present; for seeing your face, is as though I had seen the face of God, and now that you have welcomed me. 11Please accept what I brought you with my blessing; because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” And he urged him until he took it. 12And Esau said, “Let us be on our way; and we will lead the way.” 13But Jacob said, “As you can see, some of the children are very young, and the ewes and cows are nursing their young; and if they are driven hard for just one day, many will die. 14So please let my lord go ahead; and I will lead on softly, at a pace that the livestock and the children are able to endure, until I meet you at Seir.” 15And Esau said, “Then let me leave with you some of the men that are with me.” And Jacob said, “What need is there? It is enough that I have found grace in the eyes of my lord.” 16And so Esau started on his way to Seir. 17And Jacob, however, traveled on to Succoth, where he built a shelter for his family, and booths for his cattle: therefore, the name of the place is “Succoth” (booths). 18And later, Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, then he came from Paddan-aram; and pitched his tent outside that city. 19And he bought a portion of a field, where he had spread his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. 20And he erected there an altar, and called it “El-elohe-Israel” (the God of Israel). Reader-Friendly Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2024 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |