Genesis, 33

1. Looking up, Jacob saw Esau coming and with him four hundred men. He then divided the children between Leah, Rachel and the two slave-girls.

1. And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

2. He put the slave-girls and their children in front, with Leah and her children following, and Rachel and Joseph behind.

2. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

3. He himself went ahead of them and bowed to the ground seven times, until he reached his brother.

3. And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4. But Esau ran to meet him, took him in his arms, threw himself on his neck and wept as he kissed him.

4. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

5. Then looking up he saw the women and children. 'Who are these with you?' he asked. Jacob answered, 'The children whom God has bestowed on your servant.'

5. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who [are] those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

6. The slave-girls then came up with their children, and they all bowed low.

6. Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7. Then Leah too came up with her children, and they all bowed low. Finally Rachel and Joseph came up and bowed low.

7. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8. Esau asked, 'What was the purpose of that whole camp I just met?' 'To win my lord's favour,' he replied.

8. And he said, What [meanest] thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, [These are] to find grace in the sight of my lord.

9. 'Brother, I have plenty,' Esau answered, 'keep what is yours.'

9. And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

10. Jacob protested, 'No, if I have won your favour, please accept the gift I offer, for in fact I have come into your presence as into the presence of God, since you have received me kindly.

10. And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

11. So accept the gift I have brought for you, since God has been generous to me and I have all I need.' And he urged him, and Esau accepted.

11. Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took [it].

12. Esau said, 'Let us break camp and move off; I shall go beside you.'

12. And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

13. But Jacob replied, 'As my lord knows, the children are weak, and the sheep and cows which have calved make it hard for me. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, the whole drove will die.

13. And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children [are] tender, and the flocks and herds with young [are] with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

14. May it please my lord to go on ahead of his servant. For my part, I shall move at a slower pace, to suit the flock I am driving and the children, until I join my lord in Seir.'

14. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

15. Esau then said, 'At least let me leave you some of the people who are with me.' 'What for?' Jacob asked. 'Please indulge me, my lord!'

15. And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee [some] of the folk that [are] with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

16. So that day Esau turned back towards Seir,

16. So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

17. but Jacob made his way to Succoth, where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was given the name of Succoth.

17. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

18. Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem in Canaanite territory, on his return from Paddan-Aram. He encamped opposite the town

18. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which [is] in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

19. and for one hundred pieces of silver he bought from the sons of Hamor father of Shechem the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.

19. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

20. There he erected an altar which he called 'El, God of Israel'.

20. And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.