Gênesis 33

1 Levantou Jacó os olhos, e olhou, e eis que vinha Esaú, e quatrocentos homens com ele. Então repartiu os filhos entre Léia, e Raquel, e as duas servas.

2 Pôs as servas e seus filhos na frente, Léia e seus filhos atrás destes, e Raquel e José por últimos.

3 Mas ele mesmo passou adiante deles, e inclinou-se em terra sete vezes, até chegar perto de seu irmão.

4 Então Esaú correu-lhe ao encontro, abraçou-o, lançou-se-lhe ao pescoço, e o beijou; e eles choraram.

5 E levantando Esaú os olhos, viu as mulheres e os meninos, e perguntou: Quem são estes contigo? Respondeu-lhe Jacó: Os filhos que Deus bondosamente tem dado a teu servo.

6 Então chegaram-se as servas, elas e seus filhos, e inclinaram-se.

7 Chegaram-se também Léia e seus filhos, e inclinaram-se; depois chegaram-se José e Raquel e se inclinaram.

8 Perguntou Esaú: Que queres dizer com todo este bando que tenho encontrado? Respondeu Jacó: Para achar graça aos olhos de meu senhor.

9 Mas Esaú disse: Tenho bastante, meu irmão; seja teu o que tens.

10 Replicou-lhe Jacó: Não, mas se agora tenho achado graça aos teus olhos, aceita o presente da minha mão; porquanto tenho visto o teu rosto, como se tivesse visto o rosto de Deus, e tu te agradaste de mim.

11 Aceita, peço-te, o meu presente, que eu te trouxe; porque Deus tem sido bondoso para comigo, e porque tenho de tudo. E insistiu com ele, e ele o aceitou.

12 Então Esaú disse: Ponhamo-nos a caminho e vamos; eu irei adiante de ti.

13 Respondeu-lhe Jacó: Meu senhor sabe que estes filhos são tenros, e que tenho comigo ovelhas e vacas de leite; se forem obrigadas a caminhar demais por um só dia, todo o rebanho morrerá.

14 Passe o meu senhor adiante de seu servo; e eu seguirei, conduzindo-os calmamente, conforme o passo do gado que está diante de mim, e conforme o passo dos meninos, até que chegue a meu senhor em Seir.

15 Ao que disse Esaú: Permite ao menos que eu deixe contigo alguns da minha gente. Replicou Jacó: Para que? Basta que eu ache graça aos olhos de meu senhor.

16 Assim tornou Esaú aquele dia pelo seu caminho em direção a Seir.

17 Jacó, porém, partiu para Sucote, e edificou para si uma casa, e fez barracas para o seu gado; por isso o lugar se chama Sucote.

18 Depois chegou Jacó em paz � cidade de Siquém, que está na terra de Canaã, quando veio de Padã-Arã; e armou a sua tenda diante da cidade.

19 E comprou a parte do campo, em que estendera a sua tenda, dos filhos de Hamor, pai de Siquém, por cem peças de dinheiro.

20 Então levantou ali um altar, e chamou-lhe o El-Eloé-Israel.

Gênesis 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

The friendly meeting of Jacob and Esau. (1-16) Jacob comes to Succoth and Shalem, He builds an altar. (17-20)

Verses 1-16 Jacob, having by prayer committed his case to God, went on his way. Come what will, nothing can come amiss to him whose heart is fixed, trusting in God. Jacob bowed to Esau. A humble, submissive behaviour goes far towards turning away wrath. Esau embraced Jacob. God has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can turn them when and how he pleases. It is not in vain to trust in God, and to call upon him in the day of trouble. And when a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Esau receives Jacob as a brother, and much tenderness passes between them. Esau asks, Who are those with thee? To this common question, Jacob spoke like himself, like a man whose eyes are ever directed towards the Lord. Jacob urged Esau, though his fear was over, and he took his present. It is well when men's religion makes them generous, free-hearted, and open-handed. But Jacob declined Esau's offer to accompany him. It is not desirable to be too intimate with superior ungodly relations, who will expect us to join in their vanities, or at least to wink at them, though they blame, and perhaps mock at, our religion. Such will either be a snare to us, or offended with us. We shall venture the loss of all things, rather than endanger our souls, if we know their value; rather than renounce Christ, if we truly love him. And let Jacob's care and tender attention to his family and flocks remind us of the good Shepherd of our souls, who gathers the lambs with his arm, and carries them in his bosom, and gently leads those that are with young, ( Isaiah 40:11 ) . As parents, teachers or pastors, we should all follow his example.

Verses 17-20 Jacob did not content himself with words of thanks for God's favour to him, but gave real thanks. Also he kept up religion, and the worship of God in his family. Where we have a tent, God must have an altar. Jacob dedicated this altar to the honour of El-elohe-Israel, God, the God of Israel; to the honour of God, the only living and true God; and to the honour of the God of Israel, as a God in covenant with him. Israel's God is Israel's glory. Blessed be his name, he is still the mighty God, the God of Israel. May we praise his name, and rejoice in his love, through our pilgrimage here on earth, and for ever in the heavenly Canaan.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 33

In this chapter we find Esau meeting Jacob in a friendly manner, contrary to his fears and expectation, having set his family in order in case of the worst, Ge 33:1-4; putting questions to Jacob concerning the women and children with him, who make their obeisance to him as Jacob had done before, Ge 33:5-7; and concerning the drove he met, which was a present to him, and which he refused at first to take, but at the urgency of Jacob accepted of it, Ge 33:8-11; proposing to travel with him, unto which Jacob desired to be excused, he, with the women, children, and flocks, not being able to keep pace with him, Ge 33:12-14, and to leave some of his men with him to guard him, which Jacob judged unnecessary, upon which they parted friendly, Ge 33:15,16; and the chapter is concluded with an account of Jacob's journey, first to Succoth, then to Shalem, where he pitched his tent, bought a field and built an altar, Ge 33:17-20.