The ‘Slave’ Is the ‘Master’: Jacob's Servile Language to Esau in Genesis 33.1-17

Abstract

Jacob's meeting and reconciliation with Esau as narrated in Gen. 33.1-17 has created problems for interpretation, especially given Jacob's use of servile language to Esau, his insistence that Esau accepts his gift, and his apparent lying. An analysis of the dialogue using politeness theory reveals that Jacob uses his language to encourage Esau to grant two requests favourably. These are: rst, to encourage Esau to forego his right of revenge for Jacob's stealing of the blessing due to him, narrated in Genesis 27; and second, Jacob desires to remove himself from being with Esau. Neither of these requests is stated openly. Jacob's language is typical of requests in Genesis, but he uses it to portray himself as a social inferior to Esau. This allows Esau to avoid loss of face or feeling he has been coerced if he grants the two requests. This interpretation of Jacob's language matches with some other literary interpretations of the dialogue and gives caution to the appropriateness of the common interpretations that Jacob gives back to Esau the stolen blessing and that Jacob negotiates a treaty with Esau.