ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Genesis 33

Gen. 33:1–20 Having met the Lord at Peniel, Jacob is reconciled with Esau.

Gen. 33:1–3 With Esau in sight, Jacob arranges his wives and children in order of importance, with priority being given to Rachel and Joseph.

Gen. 33:3 Jacob slowly approaches Esau, bowing himself to the ground seven times. Jacob’s actions are clearly intended to express his submission to Esau, despite the earlier divine revelation that the older would serve the younger (25:23).

Gen. 33:4 Esau ran to meet him. The unreserved manner in which Esau greets and embraces Jacob reveals that he is not angry with him.

Gen. 33:8 All this company that I met refers to the groups of animals that Jacob had sent ahead to Esau (see 32:13–21).

Gen. 33:10 For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. Jacob draws a remarkable parallel between his earlier encounter with God (32:30) and his meeting with Esau. Like God, Esau shows unmerited favor to Jacob.

Gen. 33:11 Please accept my blessing. Jacob’s blessing is his present of livestock. Previously, Jacob had taken Esau’s blessing as the firstborn. While Jacob cannot restore this to Esau, he wants to give him another blessing, which comes from God’s blessing of Jacob.

Gen. 33:12–14 While Esau wants his brother to return with him, Jacob politely refuses, using the travel-weariness of his children and livestock as an excuse. until I come to my lord in Seir. Apparently Jacob still does not fully trust Esau. He has no intention of following him to Seir (see v. 17). From where Esau and Jacob met, Seir was about 100 miles (161 km) to the south, while Succoth, on the border of Canaan, was only 4 miles (6.4 km) to the west.

Gen. 33:17–18 Succoth is in the Jordan Valley near where the Jabbok River joins the Jordan River. Shechem, about 20 miles (32 km) west of Succoth, was the first place named in connection with Abraham’s arrival in Canaan (see 12:6).

Gen. 33:19 hundred pieces of money. The term translated as “money” is used rarely in the OT (see Josh. 24:32; Job 42:11). The precise value is uncertain.

Gen. 33:20 This is the first altar mentioned in connection with Jacob, and it signals his commitment to worship the Lord. This is seen by the name he gives the altar: El-Elohe-Israel means “God, the God of Israel.” Jacob identifies the God worshiped at this altar as the One whom he had encountered at Peniel and who had changed his name.