But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.
Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favour in the sight of my lord.” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
Comment: Esau is persuaded to accept the gifts Jacob sent ahead of the main body of people and his goods. I think he had always intended to accept them. Jacob infers that he is God’s man, has enough, and doesn’t want to be indebted to others. Esau’s plan to travel in unison with his brother, Jacob, was declined by Jacob, as was the offer of a percent of Esau’s army to keep their eye on Jacob. Were they meant to stay for Jacob’s safety or for Esau’s future? Ultimately Jacob refuses to travel with Esau and his men and goes at children’s and animal pace behind Esau. Note that he never travels as far as Esau does but stays where he and Isaac used to have their base. He is indeed back home and near the family burial cave.
Prayer: May I be where You want me to be, O my Father.
As I read it! 