Jacob and Esau Are Reunited

Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with four hundred men. He divided the children among the two servant women, Leah, and Rachel. The servant women and their children went first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then Jacob went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he came near his brother.

Esau ran to meet Jacob. He embraced him, kissed him, and they both wept. When Esau asked about the women and children, Jacob said they were the children God had graciously given him. Then the servant women and their children came near and bowed, and Leah with her children did the same. After them, Rachel and Joseph came near and bowed.

Esau asked about the large group Jacob had sent ahead. Jacob said it was to find favour with him. Esau answered that he already had enough, but Jacob kept urging him to receive the gift. Jacob said God had dealt graciously with him and that he had enough too, so Esau took it.

Esau offered to travel on together, and he even offered to leave some of his people with Jacob. But Jacob said the children were tender and the flocks needed a gentle pace. So he asked Esau to go on ahead. That day Esau returned on his way to Seir.

Jacob travelled to Succoth. There he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock, which is why the place was called Succoth. After that, Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan and camped before the city.

At Shechem, Jacob bought the piece of ground where he had spread his tent. He bought it from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money. Then he set up an altar there and gave it a name that honoured the God of Israel. Where do you see peace with people and honour to God in this story?