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Genesis 33

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Genesis 33 Overview

Genesis 33 records Jacob and Esau meeting after decades of separation. Jacob arranges his family, bows repeatedly, and approaches Esau expecting danger. Instead, Esau runs to meet him, embraces him, falls on his neck, kisses him, and they weep. Jacob presses gifts upon Esau, who initially refuses. The brothers then separate peacefully. Jacob travels to Succoth and later Shechem, where he buys land and builds an altar called El-elohe-Israel.

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Before you read Genesis 33

Coming from

Genesis 32 ends with Jacob renamed Israel and limping after wrestling through the night.

In this chapter

The dreaded confrontation becomes an unexpected reconciliation, though Jacob and Esau still continue on separate paths.

Leads into

Genesis 34 records the violation of Dinah at Shechem and the violent revenge carried out by Simeon and Levi.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Jacob approaches humbly and cautiously.

Truth 2

Esau’s welcome overturns Jacob’s expectation of immediate vengeance.

Truth 3

Gifts become part of Jacob’s effort to restore peace.

Truth 4

Reconciliation does not require the brothers to merge households.

Truth 5

Jacob worships God after safely arriving in Canaan.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Genesis 27 recorded Esau’s murderous intent and Jacob’s flight, making this reunion especially striking.

Connection 2

Luke 15’s father running and embracing a returning son uses different circumstances but similar reconciliation imagery.

Connection 3

Romans 12 encourages believers, as much as possible, to live peaceably with all men.

Connection 4

Genesis 36 later records Esau’s own line developing separately.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Esau’s warm reception should be allowed to stand; the text gives no hidden plot in the reunion itself.

Keep this clear 2

Jacob’s repeated bows reflect ancient deference and his fear, not worship of Esau.

Keep this clear 3

Jacob’s later route does not exactly follow his statement about coming to Seir; the text does not explain whether plans changed or the statement was evasive.

Keep this clear 4

Buying land at Shechem does not eliminate the family’s sojourner status.

Read Genesis 33 watching for…Explore deeper

The order in which Jacob places family members.

Jacob bowing seven times.

Esau running, embracing, kissing, and weeping.

The repeated negotiation over the gift.

The altar name tying Jacob’s new name Israel to God.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-4Jacob and Esau meet 5-15Jacob presents his family and gifts 16-20Jacob journeys to Succoth and Shechem

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.

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

And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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

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.

Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

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.

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.

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.

And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.

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Genesis 33:16

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