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Genesis 33

Jacob’s meeting with Esau ends in peace, and his arrival in Canaan leads to worship of the God of Israel.

Esau approaches with four hundred men as Jacob arranges his household and goes ahead, bowing seven times before his brother. Esau runs to greet him with kisses and tears. Jacob introduces his children as God’s gifts and urges Esau to accept his present. They discuss traveling together, but Esau returns to Seir while Jacob goes to Succoth. Jacob then reaches Shechem in Canaan, buys land, and builds an altar named El Elohe Israel.

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1Jacob 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.
2He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
5He 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.”
8Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
9Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”
10Jacob 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.
11Please 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.
13Jacob 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.
14Please 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.”
15Esau 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.”
17Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18Jacob 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.
19He 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.
20He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Genesis 33:4Esau’s welcome turns a tense approach into a reunion marked by affection and shared tears.
Genesis 33:5Jacob credits God’s grace for his children, a theme he repeats when urging Esau to accept his gift.
Genesis 33:20The altar closes the account with worship, naming God as the God of Israel after Jacob reaches Canaan.
Where this chapter reaches

Jacob’s gift and peaceful meeting with Esau share themes with Proverbs, where gifts can quiet anger and peace can replace hostility. His description of his children as God’s gift also connects with Psalm, which speaks of children as a heritage from God.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What changes between Jacob’s seven bows and the brothers’ tears, and what remains unresolved?

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What stands out to you about Jacob crediting God for his children and all he has?

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Questions people ask about Genesis 33

Why does Jacob compare Esau’s face to the face of God in Genesis 33?

Jacob connects the comparison to Esau’s favorable reception: “you were pleased with me.” Esau’s welcome is the point of the comparison. Jacob is expressing how much that welcome means to him. The verse does not identify Esau as divine, and Jacob soon credits God for the grace he has received.

What does El Elohe Israel mean in Genesis 33:20?

The name means God, the God of Israel, with Israel referring to Jacob. He gives this name to the altar he erects after buying land near Shechem. The chapter ends by recording his worship and identifying the God he honors; it does not describe a sacrifice or ceremony there.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).