BRAGADAYJAH 114

Accordingly, the two brothers, Jacob now renamed by God Israel, and Esau, the supplanted heir are now truly reconciled. The hatchet was buried, the past left to bury the past; and so after all these years, the two brothers could find peace in forgiveness without once mentioning that word. Israel’s words being, “let me now find grace in thy sight.” They were about to depart each to his own land when Israel besought Esau not to part company with him, but to accompany them at least part of the way. Israel’s concern was for the safety of his company should they encounter a band of robbers and violence be done to them So he asked his brother to lead the way allowing the children and the young of the animals to follow and not to be left so far behind as not to be protected. At his brother’s request, therefore, Esau left a detachment of his men behind to accompany and protect his brother and having done that he went to his home in Seir, while Israel journeyed on until he got to Succoth where he built a house for himself and his family, and shelters for his cattle. Thereafter, Israel went on to Shalem a city of Shechem in the land of Canaan where he pitched a tent near to the city. After that he purchased a parcel of land from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, on which he erected an altar and called the name of the place where the altar was erected, El-e-lo’he-Israel, the name meaning God, the God of Israel. So at last, Israel was his own lord. He was no longer anyone’s servant. He was now free to raise his family and his livestock and be at peace with his brother. God had promised, and though Israel might have had his moments of doubts and fears, God, the God of his fathers, came through, and was always there for him. More.