20130822 Thursday, August 22 2013
Genesis 33: Jacob's Peace With Esau

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

Jacob had been away from the land of Canaan (see Camped Out In Canaan) for over twenty years - an exile that began to escape the deadly wrath of his brother Esau (see Genesis 27: Esau's Blessing Taken By Jacob). After wearing out his welcome in the house of his uncle Laban (see Genesis 31: The Parting of Jacob and Laban), Jacob was returning home, with four wives, eleven sons and a daughter, and a new name - "Israel" (see Genesis 32: The Origin Of Israel).

As we will read, Esau's character had deepened and mellowed, while Jacob had very much the same personality as when the brothers had last known each other. Jacob's placement of his family's safety, in the order of his selfish regard for individuals, one wife over another, one child over another, is a glaring affront to what a man would do.

"33:1 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.

33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

33:3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother." (Genesis 33:1-3 KJV)

Esau had become a self-made success. Although rarely portrayed in the way that the Scriptures actually describe him, Esau had become wealthy, but not arrogant, powerful, but peaceful.

"33:4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

33:5 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." (Genesis 33:4-5 KJV)

The wives and children, in the order that Jacob had sent them into danger, then met Esau for the first time.

"33:6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

33:7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves." (Genesis 33:6-7 KJV)

Despite Esau's decline of the property that Jacob had offered in payment for his life ("I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself"), Jacob nevertheless rejected his brother's graciousness and insisted that Esau take what he didn't want.

"33:8 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.

33:9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

33:10 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. 33:11 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." (Genesis 33:8-11 KJV)

Esau then invited Jacob to travel with them, to, ironically, to protect his brother from danger along the way ("Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee"). Jacob refused Esau's gift of protection too - with a lie. He promised "I come unto my lord unto Seir," without any intention of doing so.

"33:12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

33:13 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. 33:14 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.

33:15 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." (Genesis 33:12-15 KJV)

"So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir," while Jacob turned and "journeyed to Succoth." It would have become evident to Esau soon after that Jacob had deceived him, again. This time however, Esau did nothing, except perhaps to feel a little sorry for Jacob.

"33:16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. 33:17 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.

33:18 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. 33:19 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. 33:20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel." (Genesis 33:16-19 KJV)

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