Jacob and Esau meet: Jacob goeth to Salem, where he raiseth an altar.
33:1. And Jacob lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming, and with him four
hundred men: and he divided the children of Lia and of Rachel, and of
the two handmaids.
33:2. And he put both the handmaids and their children foremost: and
Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel and Joseph last.
33:3. And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground
seven times, until his brother came near.
33:4. Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and clasping
him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept.
33:5. And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their children, and
said: What mean these? And do they belong to thee? He answered: They
are the children which God hath given to me, thy servant.
33:6. Then the handmaids and their children came near and bowed
themselves.
33:7. Lia also, with her children, came near and bowed down in like
manner; and last of all, Joseph and Rachel bowed down.
33:8. And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That
I might find favour before my lord.
33:9. But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for
thyself.
33:10. And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found
favour in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have
seen thy face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be
gracious to me,
33:11. And take the blessing which I have brought thee, and which God
hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it with much ado at his
brother’s earnest pressing him,
33:12. And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in
thy journey.
33:13. And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me tender
children, and sheep, and kine with young: which if I should cause to be
overdriven, in one day all the flocks will die.
33:14. May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will
follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be able, until I
come to my lord in Seir.
33:15. Esau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people, at
least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the way. And he
said: There is no necessity: I want nothing else but only to find
favour, my lord, in thy sight.
33:16. So Esau returned that day, the way that he came, to Seir.
33:17. And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and
pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents.
33:18. And he passed over to Salem, a city of the Sichemites, which is
in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria:
and he dwelt by the town.
33:19. And he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his
tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem, for a hundred
lambs.
33:20. And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty
God of Israel.