Genèse 33:1-7

1 Et Jacob leva les yeux et regarda. Et voici, Ésaü venait, et quatre cents hommes avec lui. Alors il répartit les enfants entre Léa, Rachel, et les deux servantes.

2 Et il plaça en tête les servantes et leurs enfants; Léa et ses enfants ensuite, et Rachel et Joseph au dernier rang.

3 Quant à lui, il passa devant eux, et se prosterna en terre sept fois, jusqu'à ce qu'il se fût approché de son frère.

4 Mais Ésaü courut au-devant de lui, et l'embrassa, et se jeta à son cou, et le baisa, et ils pleurèrent.

5 Puis il leva les yeux, et vit les femmes et les enfants, et il dit: Qui as-tu là? Et il répondit: Ce sont les enfants que Dieu a accordés à ton serviteur.

6 Et les servantes s'approchèrent, elles et leurs enfants, et se prosternèrent.

7 Léa aussi s'approcha, et ses enfants, et ils se prosternèrent. Et ensuite Joseph et Rachel s'approchèrent, et ils se prosternèrent.

Genèse 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.