Genesis 33:3

3 And Jacob went before (them), and worshipped lowly to the earth seven times (and bowed low to the ground seven times), till his brother nighed.

Genesis 33:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 33:3

And he passed over before them
At the head of them, as the master of the family, exposing himself to the greatest danger for them, and in order to protect and defend them in the best manner he could, or to endeavour to soften the mind of his brother by an address, should there be any occasion for it: and bowed himself to the ground seven times;
in a civil way, as was the manner in the eastern countries towards great personages; and this he did to Esau as being his elder brother, and as superior to him in grandeur and wealth, being lord of a considerable country; and at the same time religious adoration might be made to God; while he thus bowed to the ground, his heart might be going up to God in prayer, that he would appear for him at this instant, and deliver him and his family from perishing by his brother; and so the Targum of Jonathan introduces this clause,

``praying, and asking mercies of the Lord, and bowed''

seven times, perhaps, may not design an exact number, but that he bowed many times as he came along: until he came near to his brother;
he kept bowing all the way he came until they were within a small space of one another.

Genesis 33:3 In-Context

1 Forsooth Jacob raised up his eyes, and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him; and he parted the sons of Leah, and of Rachel, and of both the servantesses (and he divided the children between Leah, and Rachel, and the two slave-girls).

2 And he put ever either handmaid, and the free children of them, in the beginning (And he put the slave-girls, and their children, at the front); soothly he put Leah, and her sons, in the second place; forsooth he put Rachel and Joseph (at) the last.

3 And Jacob went before (them), and worshipped lowly to the earth seven times (and bowed low to the ground seven times), till his brother nighed.

4 And so Esau ran against his brother (And Esau ran to meet his brother), and embraced him, and Esau held his neck, and kissed him, and (they) wept (together).

5 And when Esau's eyes were raised up, he saw the women, and the little children of them, and said, What will these (mean) to themselves? and whether they pertain to thee? (And when Esau raised up his eyes, he saw the women, and their little children, and he said, Who be these? do they pertain to thee?) Jacob answered, They be the little children, which God hath given to me, thy servant.