Genesis 33:17 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 33:17 kjv
And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
Genesis 33:17 nkjv
And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
Genesis 33:17 niv
Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.
Genesis 33:17 esv
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.
Genesis 33:17 nlt
Jacob, on the other hand, traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Succoth (which means "shelters").
Genesis 33 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 28:15 | "Behold, I am with you... and I will bring you back to this land." | God's promise of safe return to the land. |
| Gen 32:10 | "I am not worthy... for with my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies." | Jacob's prosperity and increase. |
| Gen 33:16 | "So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir." | Parting of ways after reconciliation. |
| Gen 33:18 | "Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan." | Succoth as an intermediate stop before Canaan. |
| Gen 46:1 | "Israel took his journey with all that he had..." | Continuing pattern of moving with possessions. |
| Exod 13:20 | "They moved on from Succoth and camped at Etham..." | Israel's first encampment after leaving Egypt. |
| Lev 23:34, 42-43 | "Speak to the people of Israel... you shall dwell in booths for seven days..." | Feast of Booths/Tabernacles, commemorating temporary dwellings. |
| Num 33:5 | "They set out from Rameses in the first month...and camped in Succoth." | First stop for Israel during the Exodus. |
| Deut 8:2 | "You shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness..." | Reminder of God's guidance during wilderness journey. |
| Josh 13:27 | "And in the valley Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon..." | Succoth identified as a specific geographical location. |
| Judg 8:5 | "He said to the men of Succoth, 'Please give loaves of bread...'" | Succoth as a settled town in later history. |
| 1 Kings 7:46 | "In the plain of Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan." | Geographic reference for Solomon's casting work. |
| Ps 23:2 | "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters." | God's provision and care, similar to Jacob's rest. |
| Isa 4:6 | "For there will be a shelter for shade by day from the heat..." | God as a refuge, parallel to physical shelters. |
| Matt 8:20 | "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." | Contrast with a fixed home, highlighting pilgrimage. |
| Heb 11:9-10 | "By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob... For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations..." | Patriarchs as pilgrims, their true home elsewhere. |
| Heb 11:13 | "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them..." | Continuing nature of the covenant promise. |
| 1 Pet 2:11 | "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh..." | Believers as temporary dwellers in this world. |
| 1 Cor 9:9 | "For it is written in the Law of Moses, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.'" | Principle of caring for working animals. |
| Prov 27:23 | "Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds." | Wisdom regarding diligent care for livestock. |
Genesis 33 verses
Genesis 33 17 meaning
Genesis 33:17 describes a significant pause in Jacob's journey after his reconciliation with Esau. He travelled to a specific location and constructed a more permanent dwelling, a house, for his family, and also built temporary shelters, or booths, for his numerous livestock. This act of construction gave the place its name, Succoth, meaning "booths" or "shelters." The verse highlights Jacob's transition from an anxious traveler to a man prudently caring for his household and substantial possessions.
Genesis 33 17 Context
This verse directly follows the highly anticipated and emotionally charged reunion and reconciliation between Jacob and his brother Esau in Genesis 33:1-16. After their peaceful encounter, Esau invites Jacob to continue traveling with him to Seir, but Jacob prudently declines, offering reasons related to his slow-moving children and flocks, implying he will follow at a suitable pace. However, Jacob does not go to Seir with Esau. Instead, Esau returns to Seir, and Jacob departs in a different direction. Genesis 33:17 marks this turn, describing Jacob's journey to Succoth. This stop is not within the heart of the Promised Land of Canaan itself but is a strategic interim point across the Jordan River, effectively functioning as a base camp or temporary home before Jacob's next move towards Shechem in the central part of Canaan. This pause allows Jacob to recover from the stress of his journey and the encounter, manage his vast family and possessions, and rest before moving further into the land God promised his ancestors.
Genesis 33 17 Word analysis
- Jacob: The patriarch, renamed "Israel" (Gen 32:28), now embodying both his personal journey and the burgeoning nation he represents. His actions here reflect God's continued blessing and care over his expanding household and wealth, contrasting with his initial flight from Esau many years prior.
- journeyed: (Heb. nasaʿ, נָסַע) Implies an onward movement, a progression from one stage of a pilgrimage to the next. It signifies that despite his peace with Esau, Jacob's ultimate destination remains the Promised Land, not Seir with Esau. This is not a random stop but a purposeful movement following his strategic separation from Esau.
- to Succoth: (Heb. Sukkôt, סֻכּוֹת) The name of the place, meaning "booths" or "shelters" (plural of sukkah). It is an ironic name given Jacob then builds a more substantial "house" here. Geographically, it's identified as east of the Jordan River in the Jabbok Valley. It's a key crossing point for anyone entering Canaan from the Transjordan. This choice of location reflects a careful, measured step towards the Promised Land, rather than an immediate plunge into it.
- and built himself a house: (Heb. wayyiven lo bayit, וַיִּבֶן־לוֹ בָּיִת) This is significant. Bayit (בַּיִת) means a permanent dwelling, unlike a tent (’ōhel), which the patriarchs typically used (Gen 12:8; Heb 11:9). The act of building a house implies a temporary settling, a sense of security, stability, and prosperity after a period of intense anxiety and travel. It suggests a time of relative peace and management of his resources, reflecting God's provision.
- and made shelters for his livestock: (Heb. wela'miqnehū ‘asah sukkôt, וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכּוֹת) The sukkôt here are literal, temporary structures (booths/shelters) made specifically for his miqneh (מִקְנֶה), meaning "acquired property" or "livestock" (flocks and herds). This highlights Jacob's immense wealth, indicating that God had indeed blessed him (Gen 30:43). It also underscores his responsibility as a caring patriarch, providing for the valuable animals that were central to his livelihood and wealth. This practical act further demonstrates his newfound security.
- Therefore, the place was named Succoth: (Heb. ʿal-ken qaraʾ šem-hammāqôm sukkôt, עַל־כֵּן קָרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם סֻכּוֹת) This is an etiological statement, a common literary device in Genesis where a place name's origin is explained by an event. The name "Booths" directly correlates to the physical shelters Jacob constructed, creating a memorable identity for this stopping point in his journey. It reinforces the transient but necessary nature of his stay there.
Genesis 33 17 Bonus section
The act of Jacob building structures at Succoth demonstrates his practical faith and stewardship of the blessings God had bestowed upon him, especially his growing family and abundant livestock (Gen 32:10). This level of temporary establishment highlights a shift in his journey from constant movement to a brief period of consolidation, preparing him for the deeper commitment of entering and possessing the land of Canaan. The name Succoth and the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) in later Israelite history, while not directly causal, resonate with the theme of God providing for His people during their wanderings and in temporary dwellings. It reminds future generations of divine protection and sufficiency, a theme clearly experienced by Jacob at this stop.
Genesis 33 17 Commentary
Genesis 33:17 portrays a crucial interlude in Jacob's life, transitioning him from a fugitive driven by fear and shrewdness to a secure and established family head. Having survived the confrontation with Esau, Jacob does not hastily rush into Canaan. Instead, his deliberate decision to build a "house" for his family, a more enduring structure than a simple tent, signals a pause, a moment of consolidation. This act demonstrates not just prudence but a quiet confidence in God's protection and provision, allowing him to settle temporarily and care for his large family and extensive wealth, as signified by the shelters for his livestock. The very name of the place, Succoth, serves as a timeless reminder of this period of temporary dwelling and divine care, echoing the later Israelite tradition of the Feast of Tabernacles. This brief but significant establishment marks Jacob's growing responsibility and faith as he cautiously yet surely advances toward the Promised Land, reflecting a life principle that wise rest and careful stewardship are essential before embarking on the next phase of God's purpose.