Catholic Commentary on Genesis 33

"For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favourably." (Genesis 33:10)

Jacob Meets Esau

Jacob looks up and sees Esau coming with four hundred men. He divides his family and goes ahead of them, bowing down to the ground seven times as he approaches his brother. Esau runs to meet him and embraces him; he throws his arms around his neck and kisses him. And they weep. The meeting that Jacob has dreaded for twenty years, that he has prepared for with elaborate gifts and strategic positioning, ends in tears of reconciliation. The Catechism sees in this reunion an image of the prodigal son's return: the one who expects judgment receives embrace (CCC 1422).

Jacob explains his gifts: to find favour in your eyes, my lord. Esau says he already has enough. Jacob insists: please accept the present from me, for to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favourably. The words are extraordinary coming from the man who last night wrestled with God at Peniel and said he had seen God face to face. Now he says his brother's forgiving face is like the face of God. The mercy on Esau's face reflects the mercy of the God whose face Jacob saw at Jabbok. Every human face that looks on us with forgiveness is a face of God.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, to see your face is like seeing the face of God. When you forgive someone who wronged you, when your face shows mercy to the one who expects judgment, you are showing them the face of God. The reconciliation that Jacob feared all his life came in seconds when Esau ran to meet him. Someone is dreading the meeting with you. Run toward them.

Prayer

Lord God, you gave Jacob a brother whose face of forgiveness was like your own face. Make our faces like that for those who have wronged us: welcoming, merciful, reflecting the mercy we have received from you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

33
Jacob Meets Esau
1 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2 He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. 3 But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
 
4 Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
 
5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?”
 
Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down. 7 Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.
 
8 “What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau.
 
“To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.
 
9 “I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”
 
10 But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept my gift * 33:11 Or blessing or treaty of peace that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” So Jacob pressed him until he accepted.
 
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way, and I will go ahead of you.”
 
13 But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all the animals will die. 14 Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”
 
15 “Let me leave some of my people with you,” Esau said.
 
But Jacob replied, “Why do that? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
 
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir, 17 but Jacob went on to Succoth,† 33:17 Succoth means booths or shelters or tabernacles; twice in this verse. where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was called Succoth.
Jacob Settles in Shechem
 
18 After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram,‡ 33:18 That is, northwest Mesopotamia he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city. 19 And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.§ 33:19 Hebrew a hundred kesitahs; the value or weight of the kesitah is no longer known 20 There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.* 33:20 El-Elohe-Israel means God is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.

*33:11 33:11 Or blessing or treaty of peace

†33:17 33:17 Succoth means booths or shelters or tabernacles; twice in this verse.

‡33:18 33:18 That is, northwest Mesopotamia

§33:19 33:19 Hebrew a hundred kesitahs; the value or weight of the kesitah is no longer known

*33:20 33:20 El-Elohe-Israel means God is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.

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