Jacob and His Brother Esau Finally Reconciled in Genesis Chapter 33

Though there are interpretations from Jewish sages that say, Esau’s kiss to Jacob was insincere. But on the contrary, other sages say, out of his sincerity, he kissed Jacob, his brother.

Regardless, both brothers reunite and are missed.

Repentance and acceptance are both displayed in this chapter.

Read. Listen. Understand. Live…

“The Encounter”
“The Parting”

Jacob raised his eyes and saw – behold, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men – so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids.
33:1
Esau ran toward him, embraced him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him; then they wept.
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He raised his eyes and saw the women and children, and he asked, “who these to you?” He answered, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
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Esau said, “I have plenty. My brother, let what you have remain yours.”
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But Jacob said, “No, I beg of you! If I have now found favor in your eyes, then accept my tribute from me, inasmuch as I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of a Divine being, and you were appeased by me.
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Please accept my gift which was brought to you, inasmuch as God has been gracious to me and inasmuch as I have everything.” He urged him, and he accepted.
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Jacob arrived intact at the city of Shechem which is in the land of Canaan, upon his arriving from Paddan-aram, and he encamped before the city.
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He set up an altar there and proclaim, “God, the God of Israel.”
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1 Jacob lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men; so he divided the children with Leah and with Rachel and with the two maidservants.
2 And he placed the maidservants and their children first and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and her Joseph last.
3 And he went ahead of them and prostrated himself to the ground seven times, until he came close to his brother.
4 And Esau ran toward him and embraced him, and he fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
5 And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and he said, “Who are these to you?” And he said, “The children with whom God has favored your servant.”
6 And the maidservants and their children drew near and prostrated themselves.
7 And Leah and her children drew near and prostrated themselves, and after [them], Joseph and Rachel drew near and prostrated themselves.
8 And he said, “What is to you [the purpose of] all this camp that I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in my master’s eyes.”
9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have remain yours.”
10 Thereupon Jacob said, “Please no! If indeed I have found favor in your eyes, then you shall take my gift from my hand, because I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of an angel, and you have accepted me.
11 Now take my gift, which has been brought to you, for God has favored me [with it], and [because] I have everything.” He prevailed upon him, and he took [it].
12 Thereupon, he said, “Travel and we will go, and I will go alongside you.”
13 And he said to him, “My master knows that the children are tender, and the flocks and the cattle, which are raising their young, depend upon me, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.
14 Now, let my master go ahead before his servant, and I will move [at] my own slow pace, according to the pace of the work that is before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my master, to Seir.”
15 Thereupon Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why [do] that? May I find favor in my master’s eyes.”
16 So Esau returned on that day on his way to Seir.
17 And Jacob traveled to Succoth and built himself a house, and for his cattle he made booths; therefore he named the place Succoth.
18 And Jacob came safely [to] the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan aram, and he encamped before the city.
19 And he bought the part of the field where he had pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred kesitas.
20 There he erected an altar, and he named it “God is the God of Israel.”