Genesis 33:10-20

10 Jacob said, "No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably.
11 "Please take my 1gift which has been brought to you, 2because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty." Thus he urged him and he took it.
12 Then Esau said, "Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you."
13 But he said to him, "My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are a care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die.
14 "Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until * I come to my lord at 3Seir."
15 Esau said, "Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me." But he said, "What need is there? 4Let me find favor in the sight of my lord."
16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
17 Jacob journeyed to 5Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore * the place is named * Succoth.

Jacob Settles in Shechem

18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of 6Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from 7Paddan-aram, and camped before the city.
19 8He bought the piece of land where * he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money.
20 Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Genesis 33:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 33

In this chapter we find Esau meeting Jacob in a friendly manner, contrary to his fears and expectation, having set his family in order in case of the worst, Ge 33:1-4; putting questions to Jacob concerning the women and children with him, who make their obeisance to him as Jacob had done before, Ge 33:5-7; and concerning the drove he met, which was a present to him, and which he refused at first to take, but at the urgency of Jacob accepted of it, Ge 33:8-11; proposing to travel with him, unto which Jacob desired to be excused, he, with the women, children, and flocks, not being able to keep pace with him, Ge 33:12-14, and to leave some of his men with him to guard him, which Jacob judged unnecessary, upon which they parted friendly, Ge 33:15,16; and the chapter is concluded with an account of Jacob's journey, first to Succoth, then to Shalem, where he pitched his tent, bought a field and built an altar, Ge 33:17-20.

Cross References 8

  • 1. 1 Samuel 25:27
  • 2. Genesis 30:43
  • 3. Genesis 32:3
  • 4. Ruth 2:13
  • 5. Joshua 13:27; Judges 8:5, 14; Psalms 60:6
  • 6. Genesis 12:6; Joshua 24:1; Judges 9:1
  • 7. Genesis 25:20; Genesis 28:2
  • 8. Joshua 24:32; John 4:5

Footnotes 9

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.