Genesis 33:13-20

13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die.

14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.” “But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”

16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir.

17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.^[a]

18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,^[b] he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city.

19 For a hundred pieces of silver,^[c] he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent.

20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.^[d]

Genesis 33:13-20 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

• 1. ver 8
• 2. Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 31:8
• 3. Exodus 12:38
• 4. S Genesis 14:6; Genesis 32:3
• 5. S Genesis 32:5; Genesis 34:11; Genesis 47:25; Ruth 2:13
• 6. S Genesis 14:6
• 7. Joshua 13:27; Jdg 8:5,6,8,14-16; 1 Kings 7:46; 2 Chronicles 4:17; Psalms 60:6; Psalms 108:7
• 8. S Genesis 25:20; Genesis 28:2
• 9. S Genesis 12:6; Joshua 24:1; Judges 9:1
• 10. Genesis 34:2; Judges 9:28; Acts 7:16
• 11. Genesis 34:2; Joshua 24:32
• 12. Ge 34:10,16,21; Genesis 47:27; John 4:5
• 13. S Genesis 12:8
• 14. S Genesis 4:26; S Genesis 8:20

Footnotes

• [a]. "Sukkoth" means "shelters."
• [b]. That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
• [c]. Hebrew "hundred kesitahs" ; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value.
• [d]. "El Elohe Israel" can mean "El is the God of Israel" or "mighty is the God of Israel."