וַיִּשָּׂ֨א יַעֲקֹ֜ב עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה עֵשָׂ֣ו בָּ֔א וְעִמּ֕וֹ אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּ֣חַץ אֶת־הַיְלָדִ֗ים עַל־לֵאָה֙ וְעַל־רָחֵ֔ל וְעַ֖ל שְׁתֵּ֥י הַשְּׁפָחֽוֹת׃

Jacob had fought with a mysterious man until dawn. After sunrise, when people began to move about the camp, Jacob lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. Opposed to Jacob’s relatively small family camp, which included slaves, maidservants, and possessions, he saw a large military procession. He divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. Jacob arranged his camp so that each mother could watch over her own children.

וַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת וְאֶת־יַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן רִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְאֶת־לֵאָ֤ה וִֽילָדֶ֙יהָ֙ אַחֲרֹנִ֔ים וְאֶת־רָחֵ֥ל וְאֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף אַחֲרֹנִֽים׃

He placed the maidservants and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. Since Jacob was worried about Esau’s possibly hostile behavior, he positioned his family in the opposite order of their importance in his eyes. He placed the maidservants and their children in front, behind them Leah and her children, followed lastly by his most beloved wife, Rachel, and her son.

וְה֖וּא עָבַ֣ר לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֤חוּ אַ֙רְצָה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֔ים עַד־גִּשְׁתּ֖וֹ עַד־אָחִֽיו׃

And he, Jacob, passed before them, his family members, and prostrated himself earthward seven times, which is a symbolic number, until his approach to his brother. This manner of approaching, by stopping for several prostrations, was an expression of honor and submission toward Esau, even before a word had passed between them.

וַיָּ֨רָץ עֵשָׂ֤ו לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַֽיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־צַוָּארָ֖ו וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄ וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃

Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him; and they wept together.

וַיִּשָּׂ֣א אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֤רְא אֶת־הַנָּשִׁים֙ וְאֶת־הַיְלָדִ֔ים וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מִי־אֵ֣לֶּה לָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר הַיְלָדִ֕ים אֲשֶׁר־חָנַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃

He, Esau, lifted his eyes, saw the women and the children, walking behind Jacob, and said: Who are these to you? Although his brother could have guessed, he, Jacob, said: The children with whom God has graced your servant. These are my children. Jacob repeatedly referred to himself as Esau’s servant. He opted to flatter Esau in order to preserve their cordial relationship.

וַתִּגַּ֧שְׁןָ הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת הֵ֥נָּה וְיַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽיןָ׃

The maidservants approached, they and their children, and they prostrated themselves, following Jacob’s lead.

וַתִּגַּ֧שׁ גַּם־לֵאָ֛ה וִילָדֶ֖יהָ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֑וּ וְאַחַ֗ר נִגַּ֥שׁ יוֹסֵ֛ף וְרָחֵ֖ל וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃

Leah, too, and her children approached, and prostrated themselves; and afterward Joseph and Rachel also approached, and prostrated themselves.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֥י לְךָ֛ כָּל־הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּגָ֑שְׁתִּי וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי׃

He, Esau, said: For whom do you intend this entire camp of flocks of sheep, cattle, camels, and the other animals, that I met? He, Jacob, said: To find favor in the eyes of my lord. I have brought you a gift of reconciliation, which I hope you will accept.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר עֵשָׂ֖ו יֶשׁ־לִ֣י רָ֑ב אָחִ֕י יְהִ֥י לְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁר־לָֽךְ׃

Esau said: I have plenty, my brother. I do not need your present. Esau was almost certainly speaking the truth, as he ruled over a small state. That which is yours shall be yours. Keep the gift for yourself.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֗ב אַל־נָא֙ אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ מִנְחָתִ֖י מִיָּדִ֑י כִּ֣י עַל־כֵּ֞ן רָאִ֣יתִי פָנֶ֗יךָ כִּרְאֹ֛ת פְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי׃

Jacob said: Please, no, if I have found favor in your eyes, and we indeed have a good relationship, receive my gift from me, since the acceptance of a gift is an expression of kinship. For therefore, I have seen your face, as the sight of the face of angels. I consider you like a marvelous being, and you welcomed me. You are so noble in my eyes that it would be an honor for me for my gift to be accepted by you.

קַח־נָ֤א אֶת־בִּרְכָתִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻבָ֣את לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־חַנַּ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכִ֣י יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹ֑ל וַיִּפְצַר־בּ֖וֹ וַיִּקָּֽח׃

Please, take my gift that was brought to you. I realize that you do not need the present, but I am offering it to you anyway, as God has graced me, and because I have everything. I lose nothing by giving you this gift. Apparently, Esau did not realize the extent of Jacob’s wealth. He did not ask about Jacob’s whole camp and flocks, perhaps because Jacob had cautiously left them behind. He, Jacob, urged him, Esau, to accept his present, and he took it.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר נִסְעָ֣ה וְנֵלֵ֑כָה וְאֵלְכָ֖ה לְנֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃

Ever since Esau’s anger and animosity toward Jacob had been aroused many years ago, Jacob had avoided this encounter. Nevertheless, Jacob’s gift and gestures of submission were sufficient to subdue Esau’s resentment and restore their brotherhood. He, Esau, said: We will travel, and we will go, and I will go along with you. Let us continue together on the same road, as you are my brother. From Jacob’s subsequent response it is apparent that he understood Esau’s comment as an invitation to visit him or even to live with him in the place where he ruled.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֲדֹנִ֤י יֹדֵ֙עַ֙ כִּֽי־הַיְלָדִ֣ים רַכִּ֔ים וְהַצֹּ֥אן וְהַבָּקָ֖ר עָל֣וֹת עָלָ֑י וּדְפָקוּם֙ י֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד וָמֵ֖תוּ כָּל־הַצֹּֽאן׃

He, Jacob, said to him: My lord knows that the children are tender. You can see that the children are young. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn son, was about thirteen years old at the time. And you know that the responsibilities of attending to the needs of the nursing flocks and cattle are upon me; if they drive them hard one day, all the flocks will die. With my large family and many sheep, I cannot keep up with your troops.

יַעֲבָר־נָ֥א אֲדֹנִ֖י לִפְנֵ֣י עַבְדּ֑וֹ וַאֲנִ֞י אֶֽתְנָהֲלָ֣ה לְאִטִּ֗י לְרֶ֨גֶל הַמְּלָאכָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַי֙ וּלְרֶ֣גֶל הַיְלָדִ֔ים עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־אָבֹ֥א אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י שֵׂעִֽירָה׃

Please, my lord will pass before his servant. You go first, and I will advance slowly, according to the pace of the property that is before me and according to the pace of the children, until I will come to my lord to Se’ir. There is a long way ahead of us until we reach your land.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר עֵשָׂ֔ו אַצִּֽיגָה־נָּ֣א עִמְּךָ֔ מִן־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתִּ֑י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לָ֣מָּה זֶּ֔ה אֶמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי׃

And Esau said: If so, please, I will place with you some of the people who are with me to protect you and your family. He, Jacob, said: Why do that? I will find favor in the eyes of my lord. I am independent; I have no need for such assistance. Furthermore, I do not wish to burden you by accepting this service.

וַיָּשָׁב֩ בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֥וּא עֵשָׂ֛ו לְדַרְכּ֖וֹ שֵׂעִֽירָה׃

Esau returned on that day with his entourage and the animals he had received on his way to Se’ir.

וְיַעֲקֹב֙ נָסַ֣ע סֻכֹּ֔תָה וַיִּ֥בֶן ל֖וֹ בָּ֑יִת וּלְמִקְנֵ֙הוּ֙ עָשָׂ֣ה סֻכֹּ֔ת עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרָ֥א שֵׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם סֻכּֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Jacob traveled to a location named Sukot, and built him a house, and established booths for his livestock. Therefore, he called the name of the place Sukot. This was a temporary lodging, where Jacob stayed until he decided upon his next destination.

וַיָּבֹא֩ יַעֲקֹ֨ב שָׁלֵ֜ם עִ֣יר שְׁכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בְּבֹא֖וֹ מִפַּדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֑ם וַיִּ֖חַן אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃

Jacob came unharmed and without losses to the city of Shekhem, which is in the land of Canaan, upon his arrival from Padan Aram. He intended to make Shekhem his permanent residence. And he encamped before the city; not inside, but close enough to form a relationship with the local residents.

וַיִּ֜קֶן אֶת־חֶלְקַ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽטָה־שָׁם֙ אָהֳל֔וֹ מִיַּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־חֲמ֖וֹר אֲבִ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם בְּמֵאָ֖ה קְשִׂיטָֽה׃

Since this was a populated area, it would have been inappropriate for Jacob to establish his residence on land that he did not own. Therefore, upon his arrival he purchased a tract of the field where he had pitched his tent, from the possession of the children of Hamor, father of Shekhem, who was the mayor of the city of Shekhem, for one hundred kesita, a certain sum of money. Alternatively, kesita means sheep and the like.

וַיַּצֶּב־שָׁ֖ם מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּ֨קְרָא־ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס)

He established there an altar, and called it El Elohei Israel, meaning the Strong God of Israel. Naming an altar in this manner was not unusual, as they were not treated as mere instrumental structures, but were anthropomorphized, given a name and identity. The commentaries note that Moses similarly named an altar “The Lord Is My Standard” and Jerusalem was called “The Lord Is There.”