Lesson 72 The Brothers Meet- Genesis 33

Humbling Himself before His Brother. 33:1-3

33 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 33:1–3.

It looks like both of them were expecting a fight but both were pleasantly surprised. Rachel stands by Jacob/Israel. First thing we notice is that he is not known by his new name quite yet. Is it because he is still uncertain of himself as Israel, and comes to Esau as the old Jacob who has come to eat some crow.

Jacob bows seven times in humility before his brother. This the fashion of the Eastern lands where they now stand. He didn’t bow 7 times in one place. He would bow almost to the ground, get up and advance a few paces, then bow again and repeat until he had done it 7 times.What a contrast to the shark feeding frenzy that their home life looked like. This is refreshing. I think we can take note that putting your family first never goes out of style. This is not that. He put them first so that he might be safe. They were there as a show or a means of thinking that surely Esau will do nothing to me if my family and my little ones go first.

Words of Acceptance 32:4- 11

English Standard Version (Chapter 33)

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down.

And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11 Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

It’s been said that this is a beautiful act of of a brother to welcome a wanderer back home. There is no mention of malice or discontent here. The last time he saw Jacob, he wanted to kill him all of that is forgotten. Unfortunately, there is still tension as Jacob distances himself after the embrace. They don’t break out the Barbecue or nothing.

At this point, everyone bows down to Esau. Esau has waited a long time for this moment and apparently did not have a clue as to what Jacob and his clan were all about. He is not impressed with all of this bowing and formality. He wants to meet his brother and family! Esau says “who are these with you?” Then came the introductions with Jacob, Rachel and Joseph bringing up the rear. Then, the question comes back “what do you mean by all of this camping stuff?” It’s like, “wow, you must be planning on staying for a while. This is a lot of stuff! Holy Cow Jake, this looks like a bit much!” (If I can paraphrase Esau.)

Jacob says it is just to find favor in your sight! He was kissing up to his brother and it may have helped, but Esau didn’t want stuff, he wanted his brother. Then Jacob tells his brother, the cattle are all a gift to him and would he please accept his gift.

Once again, Jacob is restored. Esau gives him brother status again, vs 9-”And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself”

The statement “for I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God.“ is no doubt inspired by his meeting with God the night before, and I’m sure was an encouragement to Esau. And the capstone of encouragement, “you have accepted me!” I’d say that Esau is throwing the past behind him. No man could ask for more.

Jacob Urged Esau to take the gifts of flocks and he did. Esau was probably thinking, I may be your older brother but I’m not stupid enough to turn all of this down. I’m sure he was thinking about all that he had lost at Jacob’s hand. This was a million dollar payday of gratitude from one brother to another of the same mother.

English Standard Version (Chapter 33)

12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

Jacob does not want to travel with Esau. Period. He wants to travel slowly behind Esau. Esau is going to go far ahead. Jacob eventually lands down by the Red Sea at Succoth, the place of the first encampment after the flight out of Egypt of the Exodus. That is way down past where Esau lived in Seir, his family homestead. It’s located south of the Dead Sea. The sea that is Dead because of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Coming in for a Landing. 32:15- 20

English Standard Version (Chapter 33)

15 So Esau said, “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 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

English Standard Version (Chapter 33)

18 And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. 19 And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20 There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Jacob journeys to Succoth. It’s interesting to see that his wrestling with God did not take away all of his fear. He still sent everything and everybody ahead of him as traveled to meet with Esau. Esau’s 400 men were not there for war but so that there would be a safe journey for Jacob on the way to where he would settle. Esau is changed, so is Jacob, but his faith is not mature. Let’s read those verses again to see the perspective. Esau was beside himself with joy( vs. 4-But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept) to see his brother. Then he offered help with safety for passage. After Jacob refuses, Esau heads back to Seir.

English Standard Version (Chapter 33)

15 So Esau said, “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

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary said that the tension between the brothers still exists in their descendants and also that God used the Edomites frequently to chastise the Israelites. The relationship is not just a generation it is a wide swath of history.

There is a mention of Hamor is an blot in this record of restoration and reconciliation. The reason is that the place where Jacob pitched his tent from on land purchased from Hamor. Hamor’s son ended up violating Jacob’s only daughter and then the 11 boys took revenge and killed him. More on that next week, but it almost sounds like Jacob did not pick a proper place for his tent and it cost the family the honor of his daughter.