Jacob Meets Esau 1 WBS And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children to Leah, and to Rachel, and to the two handmaids. 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 WBS And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. BSB BSB: He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3 WBS And he passed on before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, till he came near to his brother. BSB BSB: But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4 WBS And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. BSB BSB: Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
5 WBS 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 to thy 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 WBS Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. BSB BSB: Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down.
7 WBS And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves; and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. BSB BSB: Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.
8 WBS 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. 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 WBS And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep what thou hast to thyself. BSB BSB: “I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”
10 WBS 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 hast been pleased with me. 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 WBS 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 . 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 WBS And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. BSB BSB: Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”
13 WBS And he said to him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me, and if men should over-drive them one day, all the flock will 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 WBS Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on slowly, according as the cattle that go before me, and the children are able to endure; until I come to my lord to 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 WBS And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the people that are with me: And he said, What needeth it? Let me find grace in the sight of my lord. 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 WBS So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. BSB BSB: So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir,
17 WBS And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him a house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 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 WBS And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. 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 WBS And he bought a part of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. 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 WBS And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel. BSB BSB: There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.