Genesis 33 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Jacob looked and saw Esau coming. Esau was coming and 400 men were with him. Jacob divided his family into four groups. Leah and her children were in one group, Rachel and Joseph were in one group, and the two maids and their children were in two groups.

² Jacob put the maids with their children first. Then Jacob put Leah and her children behind them. And Jacob put Rachel and Joseph in the last place.

³ Jacob himself went out toward Esau. So he was the first person Esau came to. Jacob bowed on the ground seven times while he was walking toward his brother.

⁴ When Esau saw Jacob, he ran to meet him. Esau put his arms around Jacob and hugged his neck and kissed him. Then they both cried.

⁵ Esau looked up and saw the women and children. He said, “Who are all these people with you?”

⁶ Then the two maids and the children with them went to Esau. They bowed down before him.

⁷ Then Leah and the children with her went to Esau and bowed down. And then Rachel and Joseph went to Esau and bowed down.

⁸ Esau said, “Who were all those people I saw while I was coming here? And what were all those animals for?”

⁹ But Esau said, “You don’t have to give me gifts, brother. I have enough for myself.”

¹⁰ Jacob said, “No! I beg you! If you truly accept me, then please accept the gifts I give you. I am very happy to see your face again. It is like seeing the face of God. I am very happy to see that you accept me.

¹¹ So I beg that you also accept the gifts I give you. God has been very good to me. I have more than I need.” In this way Jacob begged Esau to take the gifts. So Esau accepted the gifts.

¹² Then Esau said, “Now you can continue your journey. I will go with you.”

¹³ But Jacob said to him, “You know that my children are weak. And I must be careful with my flocks and their young animals. If I force them to walk too far in one day, all the animals will die.

¹⁴ So you go on ahead. I will follow you slowly. I will go slow enough for the cattle and other animals to be safe. And I will go slow enough so that my children will not become too tired. I will meet you in Seir.”

¹⁵ So Esau said, “Then I will leave some of my men with you to help you.”

¹⁶ So that day Esau started on his trip back to Seir.

¹⁷ But Jacob went to Succoth. In that place he built a house for himself and small barns for his cattle. That is why the place was named Succoth. [194]

¹⁸ Jacob safely ended his trip from Paddan Aram when he came to the town of Shechem in Canaan. Jacob made his camp in a field near the city.

¹⁹ Jacob bought the field where he camped from the family of Hamor, father of Shechem. Jacob paid 100 pieces of silver.

²⁰ Jacob built an altar there to worship God. Jacob named the place “El, the God of Israel.”