Genesis 33:1

Jacob Meets Esau

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, ¹Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants.

Genesis 33:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 33:1

And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked
After he had passed over the brook, and was come to his wives and children; which was done either accidentally or on purpose, to see if he could espy his brother coming: some think this denotes his cheerfulness and courage, and that he was now not distressed and dejected, as he had been before: and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men;
see ( Genesis 32:6 ) ; and he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the
two handmaids;
some think he made four divisions of them; Leah and her children, Rachel and her son, Bilhah and hers, and Zilpah and hers: but others are of opinion there were but three: the two handmaids and their children in one division, Leah and her children in another, and Rachel and her son in the third; which seems to be confirmed in ( Genesis 33:2 ) , though the word for "divide" signifies to halve or divide into two parts; according to which, the division then must be of the two wives and their children in one company, and of the two handmaids and theirs in the other: and this Jacob did partly for decency and partly for safety.

Genesis 33:1 In-Context

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants.

2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all.

3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, "Who are these with you?" Jacob said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 32:6