1 Jacob saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. Therefore he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two concubines.
2 He put the concubines and their children first, then Leah and her children, and finally Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3 Jacob went ahead of them. He bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4 Esau ran to meet him. He threw his arms around him, and kissed him. They both cried.
5 Esau looked around and saw the women and the children. He asked: »Who are these people with you?« Jacob answered: »These are the children whom God has been good enough to give me.«
6 Then the concubines came up with their children and bowed down.
7 Leah and her children came next, and last of all Joseph and Rachel came and bowed down.
8 Esau asked: »What about that other group I met? What do you mean by all this company?« Jacob answered: »It was to gain your favor.«
9 »But, brother, I already have plenty,« Esau replied. »Keep them for yourself.«
10 Jacob said: »Please accept these gifts as a sign of your friendship for me. When you welcomed me and I saw your face, it was like seeing the face of God.
11 »Take my offering then, with my blessing. God has been very good to me and I have enough.« So at his strong request, he took it.
12 Esau said: »Let us go on our journey together. I will go in front.«
13 Jacob responded: »My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds that are nursing are a care to me. If they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die.
14 »Please let my lord pass on before his servant. I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.«
15 Esau said: »Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.« But he said: »What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.«
16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
17 Jacob moved on to Succoth. He built a house there for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is named Succoth.
18 Jacob traveled safely from Paddan-aram to the city of Shechem in Canaan. He camped within sight of the city.
19 He bought the piece of land on which he pitched his tents. He bought it from the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of silver.
20 He set up an altar there and named it God, the God of Israel.