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Genesis: Jacob and Esau Meet
May 12, 2018

Last week we saw how Jacob wrestled with God and learned how in our day-to-day struggles, victory belongs to God. Jacob learned this lesson when he worried excessively about meeting Esau. Whenver we worry about situations in our life, we need to remember that victory belongs to God. Even as Esau approached with four hundred men, after Jacob had sent a gift of livestock to Esau, Jacob was worried that his brother would treat him badly, because Esau's birthright was taken from him. Fearing the worst, Jacob organized the people with him into three groups. The servants and their children in front, Leah and her children in the middle, and Rachel towards the back. If the meeting went badly, Jacob most wanted to protect Rachel and her children. Jacob then rode ahead of everyone and bowed before Esau. Jacob must have been surprised when he was warmly welcomed by Esau. It was at this point that all of the adults came forward to meet Esau.

Genesis 33:1-7
And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

Esau told Jacob that he was confused by the gift of livestock and initially declined the gift. It was after Jacob insisted that Esau agreed to keep the livestock. Jacob then suggested everyone travel together.

Genesis 33:8-14
And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.  And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.  Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

Esau didn't want to travel as a large group, and instead wanted to leave some of his people to help Jacob get settled. Jacob declined, asking only for favor in the sight of Esau.

Genesis 33:15-20
And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord. So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.

Eventually, Jacob came to Shalem, a city near Shechem where he built an altar to worship God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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