| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1When Jacob looked off in the distance, there was Esau coming toward him, accompanied by 400 men! So Jacob divided Leah's children, Rachel, and the children of the two servants into separate groups. | 1Jacob looked up and saw that Esau was coming along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. |
| 2Then he positioned the women servants and their children first, then Leah and her children next, and then Rachel and Joseph after them. | 2He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. |
| 3Then he went out to meet Esau, passing in front of all of them, and bowed low to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. | 3But Jacob himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached his brother. |
| 4Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him. Then he fell on his neck and kissed him. And they wept. | 4But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept. |
| 5When Esau eventually looked around, he saw the women and the children. "Who are these people with you?" he asked. "The children, whom God has graciously given your servant," he answered. | 5When Esau looked up and saw the women and the children, he asked, "Who are these people with you?" Jacob replied, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant." |
| 6Then the women servants approached, accompanied by their children, and bowed low. | 6The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. |
| 7Leah also approached, and she and her children bowed low. After this, Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed low. | 7Then Leah came forward with her children and they bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down. |
| 8Then Esau asked, "What are all these livestock for?" "To solicit favor from you, sir," Jacob answered. | 8Esau then asked, "What did you intend by sending all these herds to meet me?" Jacob replied, "To find favor in your sight, my lord." |
| 9But Esau replied, "I already have so much, my brother, so keep what belongs to you." | 9But Esau said, "I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you." |
| 10"Please," Jacob implored him, "don't refuse. If I'm to receive favor from you, then receive this gift from me, because seeing your face is like seeing the face of God, since you have favorably accepted me. | 10"No, please take them," Jacob said. "If I have found favor in your sight, accept my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, it is as if I have seen the face of God. |
| 11So receive my blessing, which has been sent to you, since God has been gracious to me. Besides, I have enough." Because Jacob kept pressing him, Esau accepted the gifts. | 11Please take my present that was brought to you, for God has been generous to me and I have all I need." When Jacob urged him, he took it. |
| 12Then Esau suggested, "Let's set out and travel together, but let me go in front of you." | 12Then Esau said, "Let's be on our way! I will go in front of you." |
| 13"Sir, you know that the children are frail," Jacob suggested, "and the ewes and cows with me are still nursing their young. If they're driven even for a day, the entire flock will die. | 13But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are young, and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die. |
| 14So allow yourself to go ahead of your servant while I travel more slowly, letting the herds set their own pace with the children until I arrive to see my lord in Seir." | 14Let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the herds and the children, until I come to my lord at Seir." |
| 15Esau said, "Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me." "Why do that?" Jacob asked. "I've already found favor in your sight, sir." | 15So Esau said, "Let me leave some of my men with you." "Why do that?" Jacob replied. "My lord has already been kind enough to me." |
| 16So Esau set out that very day back on his way to Seir, | 16So that same day Esau made his way back to Seir. |
| 17but Jacob set out for Succoth, built a house there, and constructed some cattle shelters. He named the place Succoth. | 17But Jacob traveled to Succoth where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called Succoth. |
| 18After Jacob had arrived safely from Paddan-aram, he entered the city of Shechem, which was located in the territory of Canaan, and encamped facing that city. | 18After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near the city. |
| 19Then he bought a parcel of land for 100 pieces of silver from the descendants of Hamor, Shechem's father. He pitched his tent there, | 19Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. |
| 20set up an altar, and named it El-elohe-israel. | 20There he set up an altar and called it "The God of Israel is God." |
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