Here comes Esau with 400 men
1Jacob looked off in the distance and saw Esau coming with 400 men. Jacob divided his four wives and their children into groups. 2Jacob put his two slave wives and their children on point, front and center. They would make contact with Esau first. Next came Leah and her children. Then came Rachel and her son Joseph, at the back of the caravan. 3Jacob alone walked out in front of them all. As he approached his brother he bowed seven times along the way.Tears and a bear hug
4Esau ran right into Jacob’s arms with a bear hug. Esau threw his arms around Jacob’s neck and kissed him. They both cried. 5Then Esau took a look at the women and children behind Jacob and said, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob said, “These children are God’s gift to me, your humble servant.” 6Jacob’s two slave wives and their children stepped forward to meet Esau, bowing to honor him. 7Leah and her children came next, also bowing to Esau. Finally Joseph and his mother Rachel stepped forward and bowed.8Esau asked his brother, “What’s up with all those flocks and herds I met along the way?” Jacob said, “They are yours—my gift in the hope that you would be happy to see me again.” 9Esau said, “My brother, I already have a lot. Keep what you have for yourself.” 10“No,” Jacob answered. “If you’re happy to see me, please accept these gifts. I’m so happy to see you. It’s like looking into the face of God now that I know you are happy to see me, too. 11Please accept the gift I brought you. God has taken good care of me. I have more than I need.” Because Jacob insisted, Esau eventually accepted the gift.
Going their separate ways again
12Then Esau said, “Let’s get going. I’ll come with you.” 13Jacob answered, “Big brother, you can see that your servant’s children are small and that I’ve got sheep and cows nursing their young. If we push them too hard for even one day, the young animals will die. 14“Big brother, why don’t you go on ahead. I’m at your service, but if it’s okay with you I’ll travel at a slower pace—a pace to accommodate the livestock and the children. I’ll meet you in Seir.” [1] 15“In that case,” Esau said, “let me leave some men to show you the way.” Jacob said, “Why do that? It’s enough that you’ve welcomed me home. I can find my way back.”16Esau headed home to Seir. 17Jacob did not follow. Instead, he decided to go to a place that became known as Succoth. [2] He settled there for a time. He built a house and shelters for his livestock. That’s why the place was called Succoth. [3] 18Later, Jacob finished his long trip from Paddan-aram. [4] He set up camp just outside the town of Shechem in the middle of Canaan. [5]
19Jacob bought that plot of land from the family of Hamor, who was prince Shechem’s father and the ruler of the town. Jacob paid 100 coins. [6] 20Jacob built a stone altar. He named it “God is the God of Israel.” In Hebrew: El-Elohe-Israel.
