ESAU & JACOB'S REUNION (GEN 33)
And after his life-changing and humbling encounter with YAHUAH, Jacob saw Esau thundering towards them with his 400 men. So he quickly divided the children up among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant-wives, putting the servant-wives and their children up front, Leah and her children behind, then Rachel and Joseph last. And Jacob went ahead of them all.
And completely terrified and humbled (with no apparent firstborn authority) he approached his brother, (now limping) bowing humbly to the ground seven times before him in repentance (definitely not the behaviour of a firstborn). And seeing this, Esau ran to meet him and hugged him, and rejoiced, and putting his arms around his brother’s neck, he kissed him. And they both wept.
Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are all these people with you?”
“These are the children that Yahuah has given me”, Jacob replied.
Then the servant-wives came forward with their children and bowed before him, followed by Leah and her children, and lastly Rachel and Joseph came forward and bowed before him. “And what’s the deal with all the flocks and herds I came across earlier?” Esau asked.
“They’re a gift of kindness to you for I’m so very sorry for my wickedness”.
But Esau reassured his brother, “I have plenty bro, keep what you have for your own family.”
But Jacob insisted, “Please brother, if you’ve truly forgiven me, please accept this gift. I’m just so relieved to see you smiling at me again, it’s like seeing the face of Yahuah! Please take this gift I’ve brought you today, for Yahuah has blessed me all these years and I have more than enough.”
And after Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted his gift, saying “It’s time to get out of here. I’ll lead the way”.
But Jacob said, “Brother, some of our children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young as well. If they are pushed too hard, even for only one day, the animals could die. You go ahead of us and we will follow you slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children and we’ll meet you at Seir.”
“Ok” Esau said, “At least let me give you some of my men to guide and ‘protect’ you.”
“Oh It’s Ok bro, we’ll be fine. It’s enough that you’ve received me with such kindness and warmth today”.
So Esau turned around and headed back to Seir while Jacob (making sure he wasn’t being trapped by his brother in some deceptive scheme to seek revenge) travelled in the opposite direction, to Sukkoth, where he built himself a house, made shelters (little booths) for all of his livestock, and stayed there for a couple of years. That is why the place was named Sukkoth (booths).
And arriving in Canaan, Jacob was supposed to keep going down to Beersheba, to the land of his father Isaac (as he was instructed by YAHUAH), but he chose to stop at Shalem (a walled city of Sheckem) and they set up camp just outside the town (one of his grandfather Abraham’s favourite spots).
And Jacob actually bought the land that they were staying on from the family of Hamor, (the father of Sheckem), for 100 pieces of silver and then he built a stone-table (altar) and named it “Al Alohi Yisharal” (“how mighty is Yahuah, the Alahim of Yisharal”) for this was the exact place that his grandfather Abraham had met Malkitsedeq (King of Shalem and high-priest of Al Alohi).
THIS PROPHETIC EVENT SHOWS THAT JUST AS YAHUSHA THE DELIVERER (MELCHIZEDEK) WAS A HIGH-PRIEST UNTO YAHUAH, YISHARAL WOULD BECOME THE SAME - KINGS AND PRIESTS TO THE NATIONS.
