Genesis 33:18-20

Listen to Genesis 33:18-20

Jacob Settles in Shechem

18 After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, [a] he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city.
19 And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver. [b]
20 There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel. [c]

Genesis 33:18-20 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.

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Footnotes 3

  • [a] That is, northwest Mesopotamia
  • [b] Hebrew a hundred kesitahs; the value or weight of the kesitah is no longer known
  • [c] El-Elohe-Israel means God is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.
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