The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Kapitel 33 -

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:

And he put both the handmaids and their children foremost: and Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel and Joseph last.

And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times until his brother came near.

Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and clasping him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept.

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.

Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed themselves.

Lia also with her children came near, and bowed down in like manner, and last of all Joseph and Rachel bowed down.

And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favour before my lord.

But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself.

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,

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,

And said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey.

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.

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.

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.

So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir.

And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents.

Jacob Settles in Shechem

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:

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.

And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel.

Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants.

He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.

He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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

He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” He said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”

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

Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”

Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me.

Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.

Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.”

Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.

Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.”

Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.

Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.(a)

Jacob Settles in Shechem

Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city.

He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.

He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.(b)

Fußnoten

(a)33:17 succoth means shelters or booths.

(b)33:20 El Elohe Israel means “God, the God of Israel” or “The God of Israel is mighty”.