Single lesson
Jacob and Esau: Making Peace
Genesis 33:1–20
This lesson helps children follow Genesis 33:1–20 as Jacob sees Esau coming, bows before him, speaks respectfully, and meets a warm welcome. Children will notice actions and words in the passage that move the meeting toward peace.
Before you teach
Genesis 33:1–20 begins with Jacob seeing Esau approach with four hundred men. Jacob arranges his family, goes ahead of them, and bows seven times. Esau runs to meet him and embraces him. They speak about Jacob’s family, the gift he sent, travel plans, and the gentle pace needed for children and livestock. The passage ends with Jacob coming in peace and erecting an altar.
Students will be able to name at least three actions or words in Genesis 33:1–20 that show Jacob and Esau moving toward reconciliation.
Welcome: Jacob sees Esau coming
5 minShow two simple figures or draw two stick people labelled Jacob and Esau. Tell the children they will look for actions and words that shape this meeting. Read Genesis 33:1–4 aloud slowly and ask them to listen for what Jacob does first and how Esau responds when they come together.
Genesis 33:1, Genesis 33:2, Genesis 33:3, Genesis 33:4
Read and explain: Bowing and embracing
7 minExplain what the passage says in order. Jacob goes in front of his family and bows to the ground seven times as he comes near his brother. Then Esau runs to meet him, embraces him, falls on his neck, kisses him, and they weep. Point out the contrast between Jacob’s humble approach and Esau’s warm welcome.
Genesis 33:3, Genesis 33:4
Discuss: Respectful words and careful choices
6 minRead Genesis 33:5–15. Help children notice the family members who come near and bow, Esau’s questions, and Jacob’s answers. Esau says, “I have enough.” Jacob says God has dealt graciously with him and urges Esau to take the gift. Jacob also explains the children are tender and the animals need a gentle pace.
Genesis 33:5, Genesis 33:6, Genesis 33:7, Genesis 33:8, Genesis 33:9, Genesis 33:10, Genesis 33:11, Genesis 33:13, Genesis 33:14, Genesis 33:15
Make and respond: Peaceful Meeting Puppets
8 minChildren make two quick puppets and practise short, peaceful lines inspired by the passage, such as a respectful greeting, a kind welcome, or an offered gift. Make clear that these are children’s practice lines, not exact words from every part of the passage. Encourage one humble action and one kind response in each scene.
Genesis 33:3, Genesis 33:4, Genesis 33:8, Genesis 33:11
Closing: Parting, peace, and the altar
4 minFinish by reading Genesis 33:16–20. Note the order of events: Esau returns to Seir, Jacob travels on, comes in peace to Shechem, buys land, and erects an altar called El Elohe Israel. Ask children to name one detail from the passage that showed peace, then suggest that people today can respond to God with worship.
Genesis 33:16, Genesis 33:17, Genesis 33:18, Genesis 33:19, Genesis 33:20
Questions to explore
What does Jacob do before he reaches Esau, and what does Esau do when he reaches Jacob?
Look closely at the meeting itself: Jacob bows repeatedly, and Esau runs, embraces, kisses, and weeps.
Genesis 33:3, Genesis 33:4
Which words show what Esau says about his own situation, and what Jacob says about his gift?
Find Esau’s words, “I have enough,” and Jacob’s words that God has dealt graciously with him and that Esau should receive the gift.
Genesis 33:9, Genesis 33:11
Why does Jacob say he must travel gently instead of hurrying along with Esau?
Use Jacob’s explanation about the children being tender and the livestock needing a careful pace.
Genesis 33:13, Genesis 33:14
Make, think or respond
Peaceful Meeting Puppets
What you’ll need
- 2 paper bags or socks per child pair
- scrap paper
- pencils or crayons
- sticky tape or glue
Try it together
- Make two simple puppets to represent Jacob and Esau.
- Choose one idea from the passage for each puppet scene, such as bowing, a kind welcome, or offering a gift.
- Practise a very short puppet conversation using gentle, respectful words inspired by the passage.
- Invite pairs to show their puppet scene to the group in under 30 seconds.
The puppets help children practise humble and peaceful actions they observe in Jacob and Esau’s meeting in Genesis 33:3–11.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, skip puppet writing and let them repeat simple respectful phrases after the leader while acting out one bow and one friendly greeting.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to include Jacob’s reason for travelling gently and explain how that detail shapes the meeting.
An optional closing prayer
“God, thank you for this passage. Please help us use humble actions, careful words, and peaceful ways with other people. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Genesis 33
1 Jacob 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.
2 He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3 He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
5 He 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.”
6 Then the servants came near with their children, and they bowed themselves.
7 Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
9 Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”
10 Jacob 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.
11 Please 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.
12 Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.”
13 Jacob 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.
14 Please 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.”
15 Esau 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.”
16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
17 Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
18 Jacob 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.
19 He 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.
20 He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.