Genesis 33:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”

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

NASB: Then Esau said, 'Let’s journey on and go, and I will go ahead of you.'

CSB: Then Esau said, "Let's move on, and I'll go ahead of you."

NLT: Well,' Esau said, 'let’s be going. I will lead the way.'

KJV: And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

NKJV: Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.”

Twenty years prior, Jacob and Esau had a falling-out that caused Jacob to flee for his life (Genesis 27:41–45). Now, the twin brothers have been reunited, apparently without hard feelings on the part of Esau (Genesis 33:4). Questions of revenge and bitterness have seemingly been resolved. Esau has accepted Jacob and has received his large gift (Genesis 32:13–17) as a blessing.

Now Esau invites Jacob to travel with him back to his home in Seir in the region of Edom. Jacob's response will be to plead for rest for his caravan. He will suggest that Esau and his men go on ahead, and that Jacob will continue behind them until reaching Seir (Genesis 33:13–14). Jacob, however, won't go to Seir, instead heading to Succoth, which is literally in the opposite direction (Genesis 33:17).

Genesis 33:12–20 records Jacob's large company settling near the city of Shechem. Esau asks Jacob to travel back to Seir with him, but Jacob asks to come along later. Instead of following Esau, Jacob takes his caravan through Succoth. They eventually arrive near Shechem. There, Jacob buys land and settles in. In the next chapter, this will become the site of one of the ugliest episodes in Israel's young history.

All the preparations to meet Esau have been made. Jacob has both the promise of the Lord's protection and a plan. Now the moment comes. Jacob approaches, repeatedly bowing low, until Esau finally runs to embrace and kiss his brother. They weep together. Esau meets Jacob's family. Though he initially refuses Jacob's enormous gift, Jacob urges him to take it as a sign of Esau's favor for him. Jacob soon buys land and sets up camp outside the city of Shechem, building an altar to the Lord there.

Jacob has just left a miraculous encounter with God, which left him with a new name and a limp (Genesis 32). When finally faced with meeting Esau, he is pleasantly surprised. Esau runs to Jacob to hug and kiss him. They weep together. After meeting Jacob's family, Esau tries to refuse Jacob's enormous gift. Jacob insists, saying that seeing Esau's face is as seeing the face of God. Jacob, refuses to travel back to Seir and instead journeys to Shechem. This sets up a tragic instance of assault and revenge, involving Jacob's daughter, Dinah.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/2/2024 8:42:20 PM