Reconciliation of Brothers

Genesis 33

Our journey with Jacob in the book of Genesis has been a study in contrasts, not only between Jacob and others, and Jacob and God, but also between Jacob and himself. At times we have seen brilliant flashes of faith in Jacob and at other times we see him taking matters into his own hands instead of trusting God. Jacob is a mixture of living by the flesh and living by faith.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that commentators and preachers have some different views of Jacob’s actions in Genesis 33. Some extol him as a godly man who models how we ought to be reconciled to our enemies and live by faith. Others chide Jacob as a man still scheming and doing things in the flesh—not a good example of faith. Which is it?

I think the Bible shows us a little of both. Jacob is a man of faith. He has met with God, been blessed by God. He prayed to God, sought the LORD’s help, saw God’s grace toward him, humbled himself before others and obeyed the word of God. But Jacob also makes some questionable decisions, delays his full obedience, and again uses deception.

The Bible is realistic about men of God. It shows both the triumphs of their faith and their failures in the flesh. But that is how it is with most of us too, isn’t it? No one doubts the spiritual experience that Jacob had with God at Peniel in Genesis 32. He limped away from that encounter with God a changed man with a new name, Israel. A. W. Pink writes, “It is one thing to be privileged with a special visitation from or manifestation of God to us, but it is quite another to live in the power of it.”[1]

Commentators point out that after God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, he is always called by his new name. But after God gave Jacob his new name, Israel, the Holy Spirit, who superintended Moses’s writing of Genesis, continued to use the name Jacob 45 times, and he is called Israel only 23 times. James Montgomery Boice comments, “Apparently there was still a lot of the ‘old man’ in the ‘new’ patriarch.”[2] How many of us find that same thing to be true? Christianity is a lifelong walk with God, not a flash in the pan.[3] God still has a lot to teach Jacob, and us.

Listen to today’s text, Genesis 33:1-20,

¹ Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. ² And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. ³ Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. ⁴ But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

⁵ And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” ⁶ Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. ⁷ And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down. ⁸ Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.” ⁹ But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” ¹⁰ And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. ¹¹ Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” So he urged him, and he took it.

¹² Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.” ¹³ But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. ¹⁴ Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir.” ¹⁵ And Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

¹⁶ So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. ¹⁷ And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. ¹⁸ Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. ¹⁹ And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. ²⁰ Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.

The first thing we see in our text today is that:

Jacob prepares to meet Esau (Gen. 33:1-3)

Verse 1 begins, “Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked.” The term “lifted his eyes” is a common phrase in Genesis (Genesis 13:10; 18:2; 22:4, 13; 24:64; 31:10; 33:1; 33:5; 43:29) that prepares the reader to see something remarkable. We are startled with Jacob to see “Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men.” When Jacob first heard Esau was enroute with his large company in Genesis 32, he “was greatly afraid and distressed” (Gen. 32:7) and made plans to placate his brother and protect his family.

Was Esau still nursing a grudge against Jacob after these twenty years? After Jacob and Esau’s last encounter Moses left us with the thoughts of Esau ringing in our ears, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob” (Gen. 27:41). Was that why Esau had an army with him? That is certainly what Jacob feared when he prayed, “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.” (Gen. 32:11).

How will Israel, the new Jacob, respond this time when he sees with his own eyes Esau and his men coming toward him? Previously, Jacob’s plan was appease Esau with gifts, then for the family to meet Esau first (Gen. 32:16-21) before Jacob arrived last. Now, Jacob takes the lead passes in front of his family: “Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother” (Gen. 33:3). Faith is not the absence of fear but the courage to face it with trust in God.

The bowing was an act of humility. Back in Genesis 27, Isaac had blessed Jacob saying, “Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!” (Gen 27:29). But here, Jacob bows before his brother. In addition, Jacob refers to Esau as “my lord [Adonai]” (Gen. 32:4; 33:13) and to himself as Esau’s “servant” (Gen. 32:18, 20; 33:5). These acts of humility do not undo the blessing of Isaac upon Jacob, but they do demonstrate a changed heart in him.[4]

Esau was destined from birth to serve Jacob (Genesis 25:23). Isaac, when finally blessing Esau, told him, “And you shall serve your brother” (Gen. 27:40). But here, Jacob, the possessor of God’s blessing, bows down to Esau as his brother’s servant, demonstrating to his brother that he no longer is grasping for what belongs to Esau. Jacob was showing his strength in God by taking a position of weakness relative to Esau.[5]

It is a biblical principle, “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12), and “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5; quoting Pro. 3:34). If we are going to walk with God, the way up is always the way down. Even our Lord Jesus humbled Himself, took on the nature of a servant and was obedient even to the point of death on the cross. It was He who said, “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt 23:11).

Brothers reunited (Gen. 33:4-11)

Moses leaves us in suspense no longer as he records how Esau greeted Jacob, “But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” The five imperfect verbs occur in staccato fashion heightening the emotion of the encounter. Esau ran; he embraced him; he fell on his neck; he kissed him; they wept. Twenty years’ worth of fear, resentment and hope are released in this embrace of brothers.[6]

It is interesting that in Luke 15 Jesus uses very similar words to describe the reaction of the father in the parable of the prodigal son, “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20). This story of reconciliation between brothers becomes a story of reconciliation between a father and his estranged, sinful son. Thus it also helps us to see the reconciliation that God wants with us and the grace He shows to welcome us in love because of what Jesus Christ has done to purchase our redemption. Paul writes,

¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:18-21)

The story of Jacob and Esau, Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the story of God’s love for the world they it illustrate, calls us to trust in Christ alone for forgiveness of sins, to be reconciled to God. And it calls us to be ministers of reconciliation with others (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

When Esau lifts his eyes to see the women and children with Jacob he asks, “Who are these with you?” (Gen. 33:5). Jacob’s faith is seen in his witness to God’s grace in his life. Jacob is careful to acknowledge the Lord when he says that they are “The children whom God has graciously given your servant” (Gen. 33:5). Jacob’s purpose in lining up his family now becomes clear. He didn’t do it to protect himself from Esau but to honor him. His family follows his lead in bowing down to Esau (Gen. 33:6-7).

When Esau politely refuses Jacob’s gift of over 500 animals, Jacob’s response indicates that he knew this deliverance from harm was the work of God in answer to his prayer, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.” For Jacob, Esau’s acceptance of the present would be a guarantee of the forgiveness he seeks. The word translated “present” was used of the animal sacrifices connected with God’s forgiveness (Leviticus 1:4, 7:18, 19:7). Jacob equates this meeting of brothers with his encounter with God the night before. He sees Esau’s face “as though I had seen the face of God.” Jacob had seen God “face to face” and was spared (Gen. 32:30). God graciously received him and blessed him. Now Jacob has had a face-to-face encounter with Esau, who has received him graciously. God’s grace shown to Jacob at Peniel prepared him to meet Esau in a new way. He humbled himself, took responsibility for his sin, made restitution and sought forgiveness.

So Jacob insists, “Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough” (Gen. 33:11). The gift Jacob gave to Esau represented a return of the blessing he had stolen years before.

Those who have been touched by the grace of God extend it to others. Nothing changes a person like the grace of God. It changed a greedy tax collector named Zacchaeus who after he met Jesus said, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” (Luke 19:8).

Next in the story we see Jacob and Esau and the,

Parting of their ways (Gen. 33:12-17)

Esau suggests that the brothers travel together or at least that Jacob would let some of Esau’s men go with him. Jacob resists, telling Esau that he will meet him at Seir, which is Esau’s land, outside the Promised Land. Moses never reports such a meeting, so we’re left to wonder whether it actually took place, or whether Jacob ever intended to meet Esau there. Jacob knows his future is in Canaan, the Promised Land. Jacob is cautious. He sees reconciliation with Esau—not proximity to Esau—as necessary, and his words in Genesis 33:13-14 constitute a polite and artful refusal. Once again, Esau yields to Jacob. The brothers part ways.

So far we most of what we have seen from Jacob in this chapter has been positive. But Genesis 33:17 record’s Jacob’s next move: “And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.” Derek Kidner observes, “Succoth was a backward step, spiritually as well as geographically.”[7] It lies to the east of the Jordan River, thus outside the boundary of Canaan.

In Genesis 31:3, the Lord had told Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.” In Genesis 31:13, in repeating the command, the Lord said, “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.” It would seem that Jacob should have returned to Bethel, to that place of his vision and vow. We will see in Genesis 35:1, after the disastrous events of chapter 34, the Lord will specifically command Jacob to go to Bethel. So it seems that at the least, God had wanted Jacob to return to Canaan but, more likely, to go to Bethel. But instead, Jacob settled at Succoth.[8] He built shelters and stayed for some time. By the time he gets to Shechem in Genesis 33:18, it appears that several years have passed. Thus, Succoth represents incomplete obedience on Jacob’s part. God had called Jacob to return to Canaan, to the land of his father Isaac. Succoth falls short.

Finally we see,

Jacob settles in Shechem (Gen. 33:18-20)

Again, in Shechem we see a mixture of faith and failure in Jacob. Genesis 33:18-20 serve as a hinge between Genesis 33 and 34, bringing the story of Jacob and Esau to a conclusion and setting the stage for the ugly episode involving Dinah, the Hivites and Jacob’s sons.

Moses makes the point of telling us that Shechem is “in the land of Canaan.” Jacob is finally going where God had called him to go. But Canaan is a also a warning signal for readers familiar with the wickedness of the Canaanites. Jacob sets up camp before the city, much as Lot brought himself into the sphere of Sodom (Genesis 13:12).

Next, Jacob bought property in the Promised Land. Purchasing property in the Promised Land was seen as an expression of faith in God’s promises (Genesis 23:16). But this also introduces us to Hamor and his son Shechem and prefigures the ugly episode we will see next week in Genesis 34.

Finally Jacob again follows in the footsteps of his grandfather. Having purchased land, as Abraham did, he now erects and altar in Shechem, also as Abraham did (Genesis 12:6-7). Again, this is an act of faith. He calls the altar “El-Elohe-Israel,” which means “God, the God of Israel.” The Lord has brought Jacob back to the land, as promised, and Jacob has reconciled with Esau. Jacob, who up to this point has identified the Lord as the God of his father, now—finally—calls the Lord his God.[9]

My observation of Christians (including myself) tells me that Jacob was doing what we all do. He was attempting to follow the Lord, but at the same time he was not obeying the Lord completely. He built an altar and worshiped and called God his God. But he did not yet go all the way to Bethel. We don’t know why, but Genesis 34 will show it was a bad decision. Jacob was the new man, Israel; but he was still dealing with the old man, Jacob. How often do we do the same thing?

Steven Cole gives us a few points of application from this chapter:[10]

Be on guard to your own bent toward the flesh. We all have our unique areas of weakness. Jacob’s bent was his scheming. Abraham and Isaac were prone toward lying under pressure. Whatever your weakness, God is stronger if you will humble yourself and depend on His strength.
Even though you enjoy God’s protection, you must constantly seek His direction. Jacob came safely to Succoth and Shechem, under God’s protection. But he failed to seek God’s direction, and probably settled where he shouldn’t. Granted, Shechem was in the land of Canaan, but Jacob never asked the Lord if this was where He wanted him to live. Did he mistake God’s protection for His approval?
Be careful of justifying partial obedience. You can set up your altar in Shechem, even out of the right motives, but if God wants you in Bethel, it doesn’t ring true. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to live in reality with Jesus Christ, which means obedience, even when it’s not easy. Partial obedience is really disobedience.

We, like Jacob all have a ways to go in our walk with God. But praise the LORD! We have been reconciled to God through His blood! Yes, we are not all that we should be, but we are certainly not what we used to be.

[1] Pink, A. W., Gleanings in Genesis, [Moody Press], p. 295.

[2] Boice, James Montgomery. 1998. Genesis: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[3] Cole, Steven, Forward, Halt! (Genesis 33:1-20), https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-60-forward-halt-genesis-331-20

[4] Biles, deron J., GENESIS 33:1-20, https://preachingsource.com/sermon-structure/genesis-33-1-20/

[5] Rayburn, Robert, Christ in the Face of Another Genesis 33:1-20, https://www.faithtacoma.org/genesis/christ-in-the-face-of-another-genesis-331-20

[6] Grant, Scott, EMBRACE OF BROTHERS, https://cdn.pbc.org/Main_Service/2005/01/22/4877.html

[7] Kidner, Derek, Genesis [IVP], pp. 171‑ 172.

[8] Cole.

[9] Grant.

[10] Cole.