Genesis 33:1-7

1 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.

2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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

5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said , Who are those with thee? And he said , The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

6 Then the handmaidens came near , they and their children, and they bowed themselves .

7 And Leah also with her children came near , and bowed themselves : and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

Genesis 33:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 33

In this chapter we find Esau meeting Jacob in a friendly manner, contrary to his fears and expectation, having set his family in order in case of the worst, Ge 33:1-4; putting questions to Jacob concerning the women and children with him, who make their obeisance to him as Jacob had done before, Ge 33:5-7; and concerning the drove he met, which was a present to him, and which he refused at first to take, but at the urgency of Jacob accepted of it, Ge 33:8-11; proposing to travel with him, unto which Jacob desired to be excused, he, with the women, children, and flocks, not being able to keep pace with him, Ge 33:12-14, and to leave some of his men with him to guard him, which Jacob judged unnecessary, upon which they parted friendly, Ge 33:15,16; and the chapter is concluded with an account of Jacob's journey, first to Succoth, then to Shalem, where he pitched his tent, bought a field and built an altar, Ge 33:17-20.