Genesis 33:1-20
1 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.
2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
5 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.
6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drovea which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
10 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.
11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.b And he urged him, and he took it.
12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
13 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.
14 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.
15 And Esau said, Let me now leavec 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.
16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth,d and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem,e which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor,f Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.
20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.g
Genesis 33:3. Bowed himself to the ground. He then rose and walked a little farther, and bowed again; so he did seven times until he approached his brother. Homage of this kind was first paid to the great patriarchs; and very extravagant homage is still paid to great men in all the oriental nations. Poor Jacob was now an Assyrian ready to perish, but God was his defence. Deuteronomy 26:5.
Genesis 33:4. Fell on his neck and kissed him. We have here the answer of Jacob's prayers and Jacob's tears. Grace is stronger than nature; love casts out fear. How different was this conduct of Esau from that of Joab, who kissed Abner, and stabbed him under the fifth rib. Assuredly in the friendship and covenant of this interview, we see something more than the emotions of nature; something which discovers a heart touched with the power of the Spirit of God. For we are here bound, from the fears and alarms of Jacob at the silence of Esau, to believe, as did the elder rabbins, that Esau set out with a view to do his brother harm.
Genesis 33:10. As the face of God. Many versions read it, as the face of an angel. There is no need however to deviate from the common version, and read angel; as the word often signifies prince, ruler, or judge. To which we may add, the irradiated countenance of Esau, on seeing the prosperity of his brother.
Genesis 33:17. Succoth. The place of booths, on the east of the Jordan. Jacob stayed here till his cattle brought forth their young.
Genesis 33:18. Shalem. That is, safety, in which state he reached Sichem: so Dr. Wells. But most commentators think that it was the place which was afterwards called Sychar, John 4:5; for that village had been distinguished by patriarchal devotions.
Genesis 33:19. Hundred pieces of money. Hebrews lambs. It is thought that a lamb was stamped on the money; as an angel was once ridiculously stamped on an English coin, which occasioned it to be called an angel. The French call a gold coin of 20 s. after the name of their sovereign, a Louis d'or, a Napoleon.
Genesis 33:20. El-elohe-Israel. Poole, out of Menochius, renders this name, or inscription, the altar of the Mighty God of Israel.
REFLECTIONS.
We now see Jacob safely arrived in the promised land, God having heard his prayer, restrained the rage of Laban, and removed the long lurking malice from Esau's heart. What shall a man render to God for all his benefits! In particular we learn from this history, that the presence of God is the best support of the soul in the time of danger and affliction. Jacob had stayed behind for prayer; but after the covenant tokens of God's favour had been renewed to him, with an increase of blessings, though halt, he hasted to the head of his company, and was the first to meet Esau. Let us ever pray that the divine presence may accompany us through life, and we shall either be safe from danger, or danger will be turned to our advantage.
This afflicted man, we farther see, divided his family and his cattle into companies. He placed his beloved Rachel with Joseph on a camel behind; but Leah with Judah, from whom the Messiah descended, was the first exposed to danger. How vain and insufficient is man's care, unless God also care! No man is able to guide his affairs with discretion, without the counsel of that eye which sees futurity without a veil. And as the smallest incidents of life may be pregnant with the greatest events, let us in every thing seek the guidance and blessing of Israel's God.
How efficacious is prayer, when accompanied with prudence and good fruits, for the conversion of sinners. Did the Lord in a moment change the hard heart of Esau; and so much so, that instead of killing his brother he wept, and fell on his neck and kissed him: instead of looking on him with hateful eyes, his countenance was as the face of God? Let us then hope for Esau, on whom the secondary blessing of Isaac came; let us hope that Jacob's submission and piety, now very much revived, had a good and lasting effect on his brother's mind; and let us hope also for the conversion of all our relatives, even of those who seem the farthest from the good way. And God forbid that we should ever set their hearts against religion by studied acts of falsehood, covetousness, and crime.
Did Jacob, on arriving near Shechem, purchase a field; and following the custom of the family, did he erect an altar to the Lord, and pay there his vows to the Most High, firmly purposing to build another at Bethel as soon as providence permitted? (Genesis 28:20; Genesis 28:22.) Did the Lord also confirm to him every blessing of the covenant? Then let all families learn of him to raise an altar unto God in their houses, and join in public worship. And if providence should call young people, or whole families to wander in their pilgrimage, seeking their bread, let it be their first concern to adore God in their new abode, and to form connections with his people.
Did Jacob according to his vow, spare no cost which was needful for God's service? Let all christians learn to support God's ministers with food and raiment, that they may give up their minds freely to his work; and let them so assist the poor, that the blessing of heaven may rest on all his people. Thus the good man scattereth, and yet maketh rich.