Not Quite The Reunion Jacob Expected

Good afternoon from the Panhandle. Well the moment is at hand, will he or will he not? God says it's all under control, but right now I feel pretty exposed. Yes, it was time for Jacob to meet his brother after some twenty years. The same brother he had tricked out of his birthright and his blessing. The same brother that was ready to kill him all those years ago. And so Jacob is about, for better or worse; reunite with Esau.

Gen 33 AT A GLANCE

I. A very friendly meeting between Jacob and Esau v. 1-4.

II. Their conference at their meeting, in which they vie with each other in civil and kind expressions. Their discourse is

1. About Jacob's family v. 5-7.

2. About the present he had sent v. 8-11.

3. About the progress of their journey v. 12-15.

III. Jacob's settlement in Canaan, his house, ground, and altar v. 16-20.

(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

Genesis 33:1-4

33:1 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants. 2 He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

Jacob and Esau Meet (vs. 1-4)

At first glance you would think that Esau came with an intention to kill his brother, and that is why he brought four hundred armed men with him . But:

1. There is no kind of evidence of this, it is only a guess based on the relation between the two brothers when they first parted.

2. There is no proof that the four hundred men that Esau brought with him were at all armed.

3. But there is proof that he acted kindly toward his brother Jacob. Esua came to Jacob with all openness and candor, and with forgiveness and forgetfulness of past injuries. Why then should the character of this man be perpetually vilified? Here is the secret. With some people, based on the most ungrounded assumption, Esau is a bad person, he represents all immoral people, and therefore he must be everything that is bad. This serves a system; but, whether true or false in itself, it has neither appearance or support from the character or conduct of Esau at this meeting with Jacob.

(from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft)

Jacob arranged his wives and children in such a manner, that the maids with their children went first, Leah with hers in the middle, and Rachel with Joseph behind, thereby forming a long procession. Jacob, himself was up in front, and met Esau with “sevenfold” obeisance or Jacob bowed seven times before Esau. This does not denote complete prostration, but a deep bow, in which the head approaches the ground, but does not touch it. By this manifestation of deep reverence, Jacob hoped to win his brother's heart. He humbled himself before him as the elder, with the feeling that he had formerly sinned against him.

Esau, on the other hand, "had a comparatively better, but not so tender a conscience." At the sight of Jacob he was carried away by the natural feelings of brotherly affection, and running up to him, embraced him, fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they both wept.

Some question the genuineness of this kiss; but why? Even if there was still some malice in Esau's heart, it was overcome by the humility with which his brother met him, so that he was overcome by the generous emotions of his heart; all the more, because the "roving life" which suited his nature had procured him such wealth and power. His fortune was equal to his brother in earthly possessions.

Genesis 33:4-15

5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. "Who are these with you?" he asked.

Jacob answered, "They are the children God has graciously given your servant."

6 Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down. 7 Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.

8 Esau asked, "What do you mean by all these droves I met?"

"To find favor in your eyes, my lord," he said.

9 But Esau said, "I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself."

10 "No, please!" said Jacob. "If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need." And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.

12 Then Esau said, "Let us be on our way; I'll accompany you."

13 But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the droves before me and that of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir."

15 Esau said, "Then let me leave some of my men with you."

"But why do that?" Jacob asked. "Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord."

JACOB AND ESAU TALK (vs. 5-15)

We have here the discourse between the two brothers at their meeting, which is very free and friendly, without the least intimation of the old quarrel. It was the best way to say nothing of it. They converse,

So here is Jacob's reunion, v. 5-7. Eleven or twelve little ones, the eldest of them no more than fourteen years old, followed Jacob closely: “Who are these?” said Esau. Jacob had sent him an account of the increase of his flocks (Gen 32:5), but made no mention of his children; perhaps because he did not want expose them to Esau's rage if he met Jacob as an enemy. Or maybe he thought it would calm Esau down at the unexpected sight of his nephews and niece. Esau therefore had reason to ask, “Who are those with you?” Jacob answered, “They are the children which God has graciously given your servant.”

Esau modestly refused Jacobs gift of cattle because he had enough, and did not need it, v. 9. Note, Those who wish to be considered men of honor will not seem to be greedy in their friendship. So whatever influence Jacob hoped his present would have upon Esau in helping pacify him, was null and void, because he refused it. His reason, was he had enough.

Jacob affectionately urges Esau to accept it, and prevails, v. 10, 11. Jacob sent it, through fear (Gen 32:20), but, the fear was gone , he now gave out of love, and he wanted to show that he truly desired his brother's friendship.

The satisfaction he had in his brother's favor, of which he thought himself bound to make this thankful acknowledgment. It is a very high compliment that he passes upon him: I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, that is, "I have seen you reconciled to me, and at peace with me, as I desire to see God reconciled." Or the meaning is that Jacob saw God's favor to him in Esau's: it was a token for good to him that God had accepted his prayers. Again, It is matter of great joy to those that are of a peaceable and affectionate nature to recover the friendship of those relations with whom they have been at odds.

(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

Genesis 33:16-20

16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.

18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. 20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.

JACOB COMES TO SUCCOTH (vs. 16-20)

Having in a friendly manner parted with Esau, who had gone to his own country (v. 16), Jacob came to a place where, it would seem, he rested for some time, set up shelter for his cattle, and pitches his tents as a convenience for himself and family. The place was afterwards known by the name of Succoth, a city in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan.

He comes to Shechem; we read it, to Shalem, a city of Shechem. Jacob came safely, or in peace, to the city of Shechem. After a perilous journey, in which he had met with many difficulties, he is at last safely back in Canaan.

Here,He buys a field, v. 19. Though the land of Canaan was his by promise, yet, the time for taking possession had not yet come, he was content to pay for his own, to prevent disputes with the present occupants.

He built an altar, v. 20.

[1.] In thankfulness to God, for the good hand of His providence over him. Jacob did not content himself with verbal acknowledgments of God's favor to him, but made visible ones:

[2.] That Jacob might remain faithful in the worship of God, and his family tool.

He dedicated this altar to the honor of El-elohe-Israel-God, the God of Israel, to the honor of God, in general, the only living and true God, and to the honor of the God of Israel, as a God in covenant with him.

God had just recently called him by the name of Israel, and now he calls God, “the God of Israel”; though he is styled a prince with God, God shall still be a King with Him, Israel's, (Jacob's) Lord and his God.