Genesis 33:18-20

¹⁸ And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, [1] which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. ¹⁹ And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, [2] Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. ²⁰ And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel. [3]

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Other Translations of Genesis 33:18-20

New International Version

¹⁸ After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,That is, Northwest Mesopotamia he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. ¹⁹ For a hundred pieces of silver,Hebrew "hundred kesitahs" ; a kesitah was a unit of money of unknown weight and value. he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. ²⁰ There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel."El Elohe Israel" can mean "El is the God of Israel" or "mighty is the God of Israel."

English Standard Version

¹⁸ And Jacob came safelyOr peacefully to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. ¹⁹ And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of moneyHebrew a hundred qesitah; a unit of money of unknown value the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. ²⁰ There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.El-Elohe-Israel means God, the God of Israel

The Message

¹⁸ And that's how it happened that Jacob arrived all in one piece in Shechem in the land of Canaan - all the way from Paddan Aram. He camped near the city. ¹⁹ He bought the land where he pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. He paid a hundred silver coins for it. ²⁰ Then he built an altar there and named it El-Elohe-Israel (Mighty Is the God of Israel).

New King James Version

¹⁸ Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. ¹⁹ And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money. ²⁰ Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.

New Living Translation

¹⁸ Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town. ¹⁹ Jacob bought the plot of land where he camped from the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for 100Â pieces of silver. ²⁰ And there he built an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 33:18-20

Commentary on Genesis 33:17-20

(Read Genesis 33:17-20)

Jacob did not content himself with words of thanks for God's favour to him, but gave real thanks. Also he kept up religion, and the worship of God in his family. Where we have a tent, God must have an altar. Jacob dedicated this altar to the honour of El-elohe-Israel, God, the God of Israel; to the honour of God, the only living and true God; and to the honour of the God of Israel, as a God in covenant with him. Israel's God is Israel's glory. Blessed be his name, he is still the mighty God, the God of Israel. May we praise his name, and rejoice in his love, through our pilgrimage here on earth, and for ever in the heavenly Canaan.