Bible Commentaries
Genesis 33

Verses 1-3

Preparation for the Meeting

Is Jacob, after his meeting with the LORD and the lesson he has learned, now so far that he renounces his own ingenuity? It turns out he is not that far yet. When he hears that Esau is coming, he divides the people in a way that Rachel and Joseph could escape during a possible revenge action of Esau.

The way Jacob approaches his brother does not bear witness to a quiet conscience either. Here he resembles “a righteous man who gives way before the wicked” (Proverbs 25:26).

Verses 4-11

Jacob Meets Esau

Jacob is still afraid of Esau. He calls himself “your servant” (Genesis 33:5) and Esau he calls “my lord” (Genesis 33:8). There is no question of any sense of dignity given to him by God. He did not behave accordingly. Because of his earlier sneaky behavior, he is now without strength.

Yet in what he says there is a hint that he counts with God. Thus he speaks of his children as given to him by “God in His grace” (cf. Psalms 127:3). That is a different language than we hear today, when people talk about ‘taking’ a child.

The cordiality of Esau (Genesis 33:4) is an example, but let us not forget that it is the cordiality of the world. Esau never asked of God and Scripture calls him “a godless person” (Hebrews 12:16). Esau says he has “plenty” (Genesis 33:9). Jacob says that by the grace of God he has “all” (Genesis 33:11), although he had to work hard for it. He testifies that the truth of the word that Moses later speaks to Israel lives for him: “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Jacob speaks here the language of faith, which says that he who has God has all.

This language of faith we do not hear in Genesis 33:10, when he compares the face of Esau to the face of God. And he has just seen, at the Jabbok, the face of God (Penuel). By saying this to Esau, he gives, as it were, God’s honor to a man and still a godless man. As if Esau has turned it all around. However, it is also possible that Jacob, in the way Esau greets him, recognizes the good hand of God and gives Him the honor for this change in Esau’s mind.

Verses 12-16

Jacob Wants to Continue Alone

Jacob floats back and forth between faith in God and fear of people. He does not want the protection of Esau that he offers him. Instead of telling him straightforwardly that he trusts God for his protection, he told Esau that he would travel at his own pace and that they would meet in Seir. When Esau suggests that at least a few people from his company will travel with him, Jacob appeals to Esau’s affection, that he just leaves him.

Verses 17-20

Jacob Goes to Live in Sukkoth near Shechem

As they split up, Jacob invented another trick to escape a new meeting with Esau. He goes to Sukkoth, near Shechem, to live in a house. This is not what the LORD said to him, it is not Bethel. And who said to him that he should buy a property? And did God not tell him to build an altar in Bethel?

The altar he builds here, near Shechem, says more of Jacob than of God. He is not yet interested in God alone, but in God as “the God of Israel”. Jacob calls himself here with his new name, while his actions show that he is Jacob, the cheater.

Through our wrong way and actions, we also can well camouflage with the use of pious language. We say we do something in the Name of the Lord, but it is only to pursue our own will. The consequences of Jacob’s way will be made public in the next chapter.