Jacob Meets Esau 1 UDB Then Jacob joined the rest of his family. Later that day Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and there were four hundred men with him. Jacob was worried because of that, so he separated the children. He put Leah's children with Leah, Rachel's children with Rachel, and the two female slaves' children with their mothers. BSB BSB: Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.
2 UDB He put the two female slaves and their children in front. He put Leah and her children next. He put Rachel and Joseph at the rear. BSB BSB: He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3 UDB He himself went ahead of them all, and as he continued to approach his older brother, he prostrated himself with his face on the ground seven times. BSB BSB: But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4 UDB But Esau ran to Jacob. He hugged him, put his arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek. And they both cried. BSB BSB: Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
5 UDB Then Esau looked up and saw the women and the children. He asked, "Who are these people who are with you?" Jacob replied, "These are the wives and children that God has graciously given to your servant." BSB BSB: When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.”
6 UDB Then the female slaves and their children came near and bowed in front of Esau. BSB BSB: Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down.
7 UDB Then Leah and her children came and bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came near and bowed down. BSB BSB: Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.
8 UDB Esau asked, "What is the meaning of all the animals that I saw?" Jacob replied, "I am giving them to you, sir, so that you will feel good toward me." BSB BSB: “What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.
9 UDB But Esau replied, "My younger brother, I have enough animals! Keep for yourself the animals that you have!" BSB BSB: “I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”
10 UDB But Jacob said, "No, please, if you feel good toward me, accept these gifts from me. You have greeted me very kindly. Seeing you smile at me assures me that you have forgiven me. It is like seeing the face of God! BSB BSB: But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably.
11 UDB Please accept these gifts that I have brought to you because God has acted kindly toward me, and I still have plenty of animals!" Jacob kept on urging him to accept the animals, and finally Esau accepted them. BSB BSB: Please accept my gift that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” So Jacob pressed him until he accepted.
12 UDB Then Esau said, "Let us continue traveling together, and I will lead you on the road." BSB BSB: Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”
13 UDB Jacob said, "You know, sir, that the children are weak, and that I must take care of the female sheep and cows that are sucking their mother's milk. If I force them to walk fast for a long distance in just one day, the animals will all die. BSB BSB: But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all the animals will die.
14 UDB You go ahead of me. I will lead the animals slowly, but I will walk as fast as the children and animals can walk. I will catch up with you in Seir." BSB BSB: Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”
15 UDB Esau said, "Then allow me to leave with you some of the men who came with me, to protect you." But Jacob replied, "Why do that? The only thing that I want is for you to feel good toward me." BSB BSB: “Let me leave some of my people with you,” Esau said. But Jacob replied, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
16 UDB So on that day Esau left to return to Seir. BSB BSB: So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir,
17 UDB But instead of going to Seir, Jacob and his family went to a place called Sukkoth. There he built a house for himself and his family, and built shelters for his livestock. That is the reason they named the place Sukkoth, which means "shelters." BSB BSB: but Jacob went on to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth.
Jacob Settles in Shechem 18 UDB This is how Jacob and his family left Paddan Aram and traveled safely to the land of Canaan. There they set up their tents in a field near the city of Shechem. BSB BSB: After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city.
19 UDB One of the leaders of the people in that area was named Hamor. Hamor had several sons. Jacob paid the sons of Hamor one hundred pieces of silver for the piece of ground on which they set up their tents. BSB BSB: 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.
20 UDB He built a stone altar there and named it El Elohe Israel, which means "God, the God of Israel." BSB BSB: There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.