R.
76 | Genesis 33:6
Ja cob an swered,“ They are the chil dren God has gra ciously given your ser vant. o”
6 Then the fe male ser vants and their chil dren ap proached and bowed down. 7 Next, Leah and her chil dren came and bowed down. Last of all came Jo seph and Ra chel, and they too bowed down. 8 Esau asked,“ What’ s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?” p“ To find fa vor in your eyes, my lord,” q he said. 9 But Esau said,“ I al ready have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for your self.” 10“ No, please!” said Ja cob.“ If I have found fa vor in your eyes, ac cept this gift from me. For to see your face is like see ing the face of God, r now that you have re ceived me fa vorably. s 11 Please ac cept the pres ent t that was brought to you, for God has been gra cious to me u and I have all I need.” And be cause Ja cob in sisted, Esau ac cepted it. 12 Then Esau said,“ Let us be on our way; I’ ll ac com pany you.” 13 But Ja cob said to him,“ My lord knows that the chil dren are ten der and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nurs ing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the an i mals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his ser vant, while I move along
# 1 Palestine( Old Galilee)
slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds be fore me and the pace of the chil dren, un til I come to my lord in Seir. v” 15 Esau said,“ Then let me leave some of my men with you.”“ But why do that?” Ja cob asked.“ Just let me find fa vor in the eyes of my lord.” w
33:5 o Ge 48:9; Ps 127:3; Isa 8:18
33:8 p Ge 32:14-16 q Ge 24:9; 32:5
33:10 r Ge 16:13 s Ge 32:20
33:11 t 1Sa 25:27 u Ge 30:43
33:14 v Ge 32:3
33:15 w Ge 34:11; 47:25; Ru 2:13
33:10 to see your face is like seeing the face of God. Jacob compares his reunion with Esau with his experience at Peniel( 32:22 – 32). Jacob’ s remark does not mean that Esau’ s appearance resembled God’ s. Rather, by embracing Jacob and forgiving him, Esau’ s actions resemble God’ s. Esau treats Jacob in a way that Jacob does not deserve. 33:11 present. Hebrew bĕrākâ, which is also the word for“ blessing”( see note on 26:34—
28:9). Having deceived Esau out of his blessing, Jacob now looks to make restitution by returning to Esau a“ blessing.” 33:13 – 14 Jacob declines Esau’ s invitation in a way that shows Esau the utmost respect.
map _ 01 _ 31 _ jacobINSET ~ 50 %
JACOB’ S JOURNEYS map _ 01 _ 31 _ jacob ~ 66.6 %
M e d i n e a n t e r r a a
S e
Damascus
Sea of Galilee
Jordan River
G I L E A D
Orontes
●➁
Edrei
Shechem Peniel Mahanaim
Bethel Jerusalem
Hebron
Dead Sea
Beersheba
Aleppo
Ebla
Carchemish
PADDAN ARAM
Euphrates
R i v e r
0 40 km.
●➀
Harran
0 40 mi.
Balikh River
M e d r a n i t e r
Shechem
|
Ephrath
( Bethlehem)
|
Salem
( Jerusalem)
|
Kiriath Arba |
Mamre |
( Hebron) |
Gaza Gerar
To Egypt e a n
S e a
C A N A A N
Aphek Bethel
Beersheba
Dothan Peniel
Mahanaim
0 10 km. 0 10 mi.
●➀ The Euphrates-Balikh River basin was Jacob’ s destination as he fled from Esau, ultimately reaching the home of his maternal uncle( Laban) near Harran.
●➁ Jacob’ s lengthy sojourn ended in a dispute with Laban and another flight— this time back to Canaan. His route likely took him toward Aleppo, then to Damascus and Edrei before reaching Peniel on the Jabbok River.
●➂ He and his dependents reached the hill country of Gilead before their caravan was overtaken by Laban. The covenant at Mizpah was celebrated on one of the hills later used as a border station between Aramean and Israelite territories.
●➃ Jacob lingered at Sukkoth, entered Canaan and proceeded to Shechem, where he erected an altar to the Lord.
Ai
Sukkoth
●➃
Jordan R.
Dead Sea
MAP NOTE: In addition to changing Sukkoth spelling, I’ ve updated“ To Harran” spelling.
●➂
To Harran
G I L E A D