seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 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 female servants. 2 He put the female servants 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. 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 female servants 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’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds 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 flocks and herds before me and the pace 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.”
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.
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.
Here's the link to the commentary I read about these verses.He crossed over before them: After being conquered by God, Jacob now led the procession to meet Esau. This displays some change of character.
Bowed himself to the ground: Jacob already sent over gifts and showed he didn’t want to take anything materially from Esau. Then, by bowing down, he showed he was submitted to his brother and wanted no social power over him.
Fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept: Esau and Jacob did not feel a need to discuss and resolve the past. God worked in both their hearts, and there was no need to discuss or argue over it all again. What was past was past.
Who are these with you: In a moving scene, Jacob introduced his large family to his brother Esau.
So he urged him, and he took it: Esau’s receiving of the gifts was as important to the reconciliation as Jacob’s giving of the gifts. When Jacob gave such generous gifts, it was his way of saying to Esau that he was sorry, and when Esau accepted the gifts, it was his way of accepting Jacob and saying he was forgiven.
In that culture, one never accepted a gift from an enemy, only from a friend. To accept the gift was to accept the friendship.
Jacob journeyed to Succoth: Unfortunately, Jacob still acted like old Jacob instead of like new Israel, because he said he would go far to the south with Esau to the area of Mount Seir. Instead, he allowed Esau to go a few days beyond him and then headed north towards Succoth.
And he pitched his tent before the city: It is good Jacob came to the Promised Land, and he settled there. But he came short of full obedience, because it seems God directed him to return to Bethel (Genesis 31:13).
Jacob just cannot be trusted. Should I have put "yet" at the end of that statement? Will Jacob ever stop lying?I don't know how the Catholic church, or other Protestant churches, teach it, but the Baptist church teaches their children that Jacob was a "Godly Hero". I've seen nothing to support that. I take that back; Jacob could be trusted to work out a contract for something he really wants. He really wanted Rachel, and he worked 14 years to get her. He's still a liar and a cheat. Should we teach our children to steal from their brothers and lie to their brother's face? That's what we have seen Jacob do in the past few chapters.
After a sleepless night or nightmares, leaving him limping from fighting the sheets, Jacob took the lead of his procession. When he saw Esau riding toward them with 400 men, Jacob must have wanted to poop himself. Esau, rightfully, said he would murder Jacob for what he had done to Isaac and Esau. Jacob must have been expecting Esau and his men, pull out their weapons for a massacre.
Instead, Esau greeted Jacob with a big ol' sloppy kiss and a bear hug! Esau treated his brother with respect and brotherly love.
Did Jacob figure the meeting was all an act? Did Jacob think once he got back to Canaan, Esau would murder him in his sleep? Was Jacob afraid Esau was putting on an act? Was the pot calling the kettle black?
Esau wanted to bring his brother home. Jacob wanted Esau to think he would follow him back to Canaan.
Jacob lied again!!!
Jacob had no intention of following Esau. Jacob was still afraid. Jacob didn't want to "share" the homeland with his brother. Jacob went to Shechem instead.
Don't forget, Rachel still has those forbidden "idols" in her pack on her camel. She's taking the forbidden "idols" to Shechem.
Oh... Shechem... Jacob's daughter Dinah and Jacob's sons are going to make quite a statement in Shechem. But we have to stick where we are in these verses.
Jacob lied again!!!
