The Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau
T. H. Leale. Genesis 33:1-16 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children to Leah… I. IT ILLUSTRATES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS OF THE TWO BROTHERS. 1. Esau was generous and forgiving. 2. In Jacob there are traces of his old subtlety. II. IT ILLUSTRATES THE POWER OF HUMAN FORGIVENESS. III. IT ILLUSTRATES THE TYRANNY OF OLD SINS. All was forgiven, but there was no longer any confidence. So the effects of past sin remain. IV. IT ILLUSTRATES THE POWER OF GODLINESS. Jacob's humility before his brother was but a sign of his humility before God. His satisfaction to Esau is a sign also of his reconciliation with God. (T. H. Leale.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. WEB: Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids.