Gen 33 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gen 33:1-17: 33:1-17 Jacob’s long-anticipated meeting with his brother Esau turned out far better than he had feared. Esau’s changed heart is an example of how “God fights” (See 32:28 ). Earlier, he had cared little about the birthright (25:32-34 ); now he cared little for old grudges. Jacob recognized that God had intervened. Summary for Gen 33:1-2: 33:1-2 Jacob’s identity had been changed (32:27-28 ), but he had not yet learned to live up to the new name; he still showed the favoritism that divides families. He lined up his family and his possessions in the order of their importance to him, with the slave wives and their children in front (to face danger first), Leah’s group behind them, and Rachel and Joseph in the back, where it was safest.

Summary for Gen 33:1-17: 33:1-17 ^a Jacob’s long-anticipated meeting with his brother Esau turned out far better than he had feared. Esau’s changed heart is an example of how “God fights” (See 32:28 ^b). Earlier, he had cared little about the birthright (25:32-34 ^c); now he cared little for old grudges. Jacob recognized that God had intervened.
Summary for Gen 33:1-2: 33:1-2 ^d Jacob’s identity had been changed (32:27-28 ^e), but he had not yet learned to live up to the new name; he still showed the favoritism that divides families. He lined up his family and his possessions in the order of their importance to him, with the slave wives and their children in front (to face danger first), Leah’s group behind them, and Rachel and Joseph in the back, where it was safest.
Summary for Gen 33:3-13: 33:3-13 ^f Even though Jacob had nothing to fear, he was afraid and tried to appease his brother. He assumed the role of a servant before royalty by bowing (33:3 ^g), using an honorific title (33:8 ^h, 13 ⁱ), making introductions (33:6-7 ^j), and presenting gifts (33:8 ^k).
33:4 ^l Esau’s friendly greeting was an answer to prayer (32:11 ^m). God had rescued Jacob from Esau’s revenge.
33:5 ⁿ your servant: In talking with his brother, Jacob continued to refer to himself as Esau’s servant (also 33:14 ^o) and to Esau as his lord (33:8 ^p, 13-15 ^q); Esau called Jacob “my brother” (33:9 ^r). Jacob was cautiously warding off any possible retaliation by reversing the words of the oracle (25:23 ^s).
33:7 ^t Among Jacob’s sons, only Joseph is named; he was Jacob’s favorite son and the recipient of the blessing.
33:10 ^u Jacob knew that Esau’s friendly greeting was God’s work, secured at Peniel when he saw God face to face.
33:11 ^v this gift I have brought you (literally my blessing): Jacob perceived Esau as a threat and tried to appease him with a gift (cp. 2 Kgs 17:3-4 ^w; 18:7 ^x, 14 ^y; 2 Chr 28:21 ^z), perhaps in a guilty attempt to undo the past. Jacob would not take no for an answer.
Summary for Gen 33:12-15: 33:12-15 ^aa Despite Esau’s apparent magnanimity, Jacob was wary and cleverly avoided traveling with his brother.

• I will meet you at Seir: Jacob’s lie manifests his old character, living by deception rather than by faith.
Summary for Gen 33:16-17: 33:16-17 ^ab Instead of following Esau south to Seir as promised, Jacob again deceived his brother, then headed in the opposite direction to Succoth, east of the Jordan River and north of the Jabbok.
Summary for Gen 33:18-20: 33:18-20 ^ac These verses form an epilogue to Jacob’s adventures outside the land. He returned in peace with a large family and many possessions.

• Jacob, like Abraham, built an altar at Shechem (see 12:6-8 ^ad) and purchased land from the family of Hamor.
33:20 ^ae El-Elohe-Israel: The name of the altar (“God, the God of Israel”) commemorated Jacob’s relationship with God. Jacob publicly proclaimed that God was his God, and that God had led him back to the land he would inherit.