Genesis 33:15-20

15 Esau answered, I pray thee, that (some) of the people which is with me, dwell they namely fellows of thy way. Jacob said, It is no need; I have need to this one thing only, that I find grace in thy sight, my lord. (Esau answered, Then I pray thee, let some of the people who be with me give thee fellowship on the way. But Jacob said, There is no need; yea, I only have need of this one thing, that I find grace in thine eyes, my lord.)

16 And so Esau turned again in that day in the way by which he came, into Seir. (And so Esau returned that day by the way by which he came, back toward Seir.)

17 And Jacob came into Succoth, where when he had builded an house, and had set tents, he called the name of that place Succoth, that is, tabernacles. (But Jacob went to Succoth, where when he had built a house, and some shelters for his beasts, he called that place Succoth, or Shelters.)

18 And Jacob passed into Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, after that he turned again from Mesopotamia of Syria, and he dwelled beside the city. (And then Jacob passed safely into the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, after that he had returned from Paddan-aram, and he lived there in a field beside the city.)

19 And he bought for an hundred lambs a part of the field, in which he set tabernacles, of the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. (And he bought part of that field from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred lambs, or for a hundred pieces of money, and he pitched his tents there.)

20 And when he had raised an altar there, he inwardly called on it the full strong God of Israel. (And when he had raised up an altar there, he called it Elelohe-Israel.)

Genesis 33:15-20 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.