Genesis 33:19
And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What’s easy to miss is that Jacob didn't just buy land in a place he was passing through; he bought the very spot where he pitched his tent. This wasn't about claiming territory as an heir, but about securing peace and a place to rest, paying a small price for temporary stability.
After reconciling with his fearsome brother Esau and settling temporarily in Succoth, Jacob's journey continues to the city of Shechem. Here, he first establishes a campsite before making a significant land purchase, securing a permanent place to settle his household.
After a tense reunion with his brother Esau, Jacob seeks stability. But why buy land instead of simply continuing his nomadic journey?
After years of striving and fear, Jacob finally experiences a moment of reconciliation with his brother Esau. Yet, true peace often requires more than just restored relationships; it demands a tangible sense of security.
Jacob’s purchase of a parcel of land in the region of Shechem signifies a move towards establishing roots, even temporarily. While Abraham and Isaac focused on securing burial sites as evidence of their future inheritance, Jacob’s purchase is more practical: a place to pitch his tent and secure his family and livestock.
This act shows a shift. It's not about claiming ownership of the whole land prematurely, but about securing a peaceful dwelling place amidst uncertainty. The patriarchs were strangers and sojourners, and this purchase didn't negate that reality. Instead, it was a necessary step to ensure safety and stability in a land that wasn't yet fully theirs, demonstrating a balance between faith in God's promise and wise, practical action.
The price Jacob paid was 'a hundred pieces of money.' What does this mysterious sum reveal about his intentions and the nature of his transaction?
The exact nature of the 'hundred pieces of money' (or 'hundred lambs' – kesitah) is debated, but its significance lies in the context of covenant and security.
Some scholars suggest it was actual lambs, a common form of currency or barter in ancient times. Others believe it was a coin stamped with the image of a lamb, symbolizing purity and sacrifice. Regardless of the precise form, the amount – a hundred – often signifies completeness or a significant measure.
For Jacob, this purchase was more than just a real estate deal. It was an act of establishing a covenant of peace with the people of Shechem. By paying a valuable sum, he sought not just a place to pitch his tent, but a recognized and peaceful coexistence, ensuring that his family would not be molested. This echoes the larger covenantal theme: God's promises are secured through His own faithfulness (symbolized by the Lamb) and, in turn, His people live in covenant faithfulness and security.
Jacob's purchase of this small plot of land was a significant act, marking his first permanent acquisition in Canaan. While patriarchs like Abraham had bought burial sites, Jacob bought land just to pitch his tent, highlighting his need for a secure, albeit temporary, foothold near a settled population, as he continued his journey toward his ultimate inheritance.
c. 1900 BC
Abraham purchases Machpelah
Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah and its surrounding field from Ephron the Hittite to serve as a family burial site. This established a precedent for patriarchs acquiring land, though they remained sojourners.
c. 1800 BC
Jacob's youth and flight from Esau
Jacob, through trickery, received the birthright and blessing intended for his elder brother Esau, leading to a bitter feud and Jacob's flight to Padan-aram.
c. 1780 BC
Jacob's return and reconciliation with Esau
After years away, Jacob returned with his family and possessions. He met Esau, and through divine intervention and Jacob's cautious humility, a fragile reconciliation was achieved.
c. 1780 BC— this verse
Jacob journeys to Succoth and then Shechem
Following his reunion with Esau, Jacob traveled to Succoth, where he built temporary shelters, and then moved on to Shechem, a city in Canaan, where he pitched his tent.
This passage shows Abraham also purchasing land, specifically the cave of Machpelah, for a significant sum, establishing a precedent for patriarchs acquiring property even while considered sojourners.
Joshua 24:32This verse directly links back to Jacob's purchase, stating that Joseph's bones were buried in the field Jacob had bought, highlighting the long-term significance of this land transaction.
Acts 7:16Stephen's speech references this purchase, further confirming its historical importance and framing it as an act of acquiring property within the land of Canaan, albeit a small parcel.
John 4:5This Gospel passage mentions Jacob's well, which is traditionally located in the vicinity of the field Jacob purchased, connecting this land acquisition to a significant site in Jesus' ministry.
calvinGenesis 33:1-20: "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."
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.
Levavit autem Iahacob oculos suos, et vidit, et ecce Esau veniebat, et cum eo erant quadringenti viri: et divis…
cambridgeGenesis 33:19: "And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money."
19 . the parcel of ground ] or “the portion of the field.” Lat. partem agri . For “parcel,” Fr. “parcelle,” from Lat. particula , see Joshua 24:32 ; Ruth 4:3 . Cf. “Many a thousand, Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear” (Shakespeare, 3 Hen. VI , Genesis 33:6 ). his tent ] Jacob has resumed dwelling in tents, see Genesis 33:1…
What’s easy to miss is that Jacob didn't just buy land in a place he was passing through; he bought the very spot where he pitched his tent. This wasn't about claiming territory as an heir, but about securing peace and a place to rest, paying a small price for temporary stability.
After reconciling with his fearsome brother Esau and settling temporarily in Succoth, Jacob's journey continues to the city of Shechem. Here, he first establishes a campsite before making a significant land purchase, securing a permanent place to settle his household.
After reconciling with his fearsome brother Esau and settling temporarily in Succoth, Jacob's journey continues to the city of Shechem. Here, he first establishes a campsite before making a significant land purchase, securing a permanent place to settle his household.
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c. 1780 BC
Jacob buys field at Shechem
Jacob purchased a parcel of land in Shechem from the sons of Hamor, the city's founder, where he had pitched his tent. This was the first land Jacob owned in Canaan.
c. 1770 BC
Joseph is sold into Egypt
Years later, Jacob's favorite son, Joseph, was sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers, leading to further family turmoil.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua recounts the purchase of the field
Centuries later, in Joshua's time, the purchase of this field was remembered, and it was the burial place of Joseph's bones, fulfilling a promise made generations earlier.
"And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent." — What’s easy to miss is that Jacob didn't just buy land in a place he was passing through; he bought the very spot where he pitched his tent. This wasn't about claiming territory as an heir, but about…
