The Two Brothers, Yacob and Esau Meet
Meanwhile Esau at the head of his four hundred men was making progress and very shortly came in sight of Yacob's tents. On the latter's orders his whole household went out to meet the new arrival, and the order in which they went expressed fairly accurately the feelings of the head of the family. At the head walked the two concubines with their sons, then, after an interval came Leah (the less loved of the two wives) and her sons. Finally, after a further interval, followed Rachel, the woman who occupied first place in Yacob's heart, together with Joseph, her only son.
At the head of this frightened group walked Yacob; part ambassador, part suppliant, he went forward to meet his brother and bowed seven times to the ground before going up to him. It was an intentional exaggeration of the customary marks of respect. The Canaanite princes were accustomed to bow seven times before their overlords, but among the Arameans one low bow was the usual rule. Probably Yacob thought it wise to appease Esau's anger by a somewhat exaggerated display of humility.
Esau-Edom, known as 'the red', whose skin was possibly not so thick as might be thought, ran to meet his younger brother, and affectionately lifted him to his feet. He took him in his arms, says Bereshith, and held him close and wept. From that moment Yacob could feel that the family question was settled in his favour. Indeed everything seemed to succeed for him, and his confidence in YAHWEH's protection must have become stronger.
Time moves slowly in the East, and the nomads were usually glad of an opportunity for an exchange of compliments. Esau, who must certainly have had a shrewd idea of the identity of the groups arranged in order behind his brother, asked who they were. 'The children' replied Yacob, 'whom YAHWEH has bestowed on your servant.' They were brought forward in order, the concubines with their sons first, and then the wives, all with much bowing low.
Esau seems to have decided to profit by the turn of events. With a certain ingenuousness he inquired, 'What was the meaning of all the company that I have met?' The remark did not refer, as might be supposed, to the three droves sent at short intervals as gifts. Esau meant one of the two companies into which Yacob had divided his livestock; he had done so, it will be recalled, as a precautionary measure in case of an attack by Esau. 'What do you mean to do with all the livestock that I met?' asked Esau craftily. The time had come, Yacob decided, to make some sacrifice to attain his ends. 'It is to win my lord's favour,' he replied. As required by oriental good manners Esau refused, half-heartedly Yacob, reading his thoughts, insisted. 'I came into your presence as into the presence of YAHWEH, but you have received me kindly,' he replied, meaning thereby that from the beginning of the meeting with his brother he had felt the same feeling of terror as when coming face to face with YAHWEH. It was an excess of flattery but good policy. It was nonetheless true that Yacob had been very afraid. In the end Esau accepted the present. Yacob could reckon quite rightly that on a last analysis peace had not been bought at too dear a price. 17
17 On a rapid reading of the passage it might be thought that Esau had accepted. in the first place, the three droves sent to him by Yacob. and intended to appease his anger, and, secondly, the half of Yacob's flocks, which had been divided into two camps (mahanaim). In fact these two 'presents' should not be added to each other. The sending of the three droves belongs to the Yahwistic tradition, the gift of the 'second camp' to the Elohistic cycle. The scribe incorporated them both without making any distinction.
The Brothers Separate
We must not expect Yacob to have been immediately 'converted' at the ford of the Jabbok, with an abrupt change in the depths of his personality. He still remained a very 'careful' man. The ascent had been begun indeed but the patriarch was still at the bottom of the slope which he still had to climb by degrees.
Esau proposed to his brother that they should travel together to the land of Seir (that is one of the names of the region of Edom) where he had settled with his flocks.18 Yacob declined. His herds and flocks, he explained, were made up for the most part of sheep and cows that had calved, 'If they were driven too hard, even for one day, the whole drove will die.' And then there were young children in the caravan who could not push forward quickly. 'May it please my master to go ahead of his servant. For my part I will move at a slower pace, to suit the flock I am driving and the children, until I join my master in Seir.' Yacob must have felt it advisable not to strain the understanding between Esau and himself. Directly Esau had started Yacob set off in the opposite direction. He went towards Shechem.
18 This is in accordance with the Yahwistic (J) and Elohistic (E) traditions. But according to the Kohenly tradition (P) Esau was still living at Hebron with Yitschaq and did so until the return of Yacob. This point will be discussed at the appropriate time.
Yacob Called Yisrael Index Yacob Sitemap Scripture History Through the Ages Yacob Called Yisrael Yacob and Esau Theft Of The Paternal Blessing Flight, The Only Solution For Yacob Yacob's Dream At Bethel Yacob Puts Up A Stele Named BethEl The Location Of Bethel Importance Of The Well, A Meeting Place Details Of The Mohar The Sons Of Yacob How Yacob Became Rich Yacob Leaves The Land Of The Fathers Treaty Between Yacob And Laban Messages Between Yacob And Esau Yacob Wrestles With YAHWEH Two Brothers, Yacob and Esau Meet Towards The Promised Land The Departure From Shechem The Conclusion Of Yacob