Genesis 33:5

5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked. Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS Genesis 33:4 NEXT Genesis 33:6

Genesis 33:5 in Other Translations

KJV

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.

ESV

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."

NLT

5 Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?” “These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant,” Jacob replied.

MSG

5 Then Esau looked around and saw the women and children: "And who are these with you?" Jacob said, "The children that God saw fit to bless me with."

CSB

5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, "Who are these with you?" He answered, "The children God has graciously given your servant."

Genesis 33:5 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 33:5

And he lift up his eyes, and saw the women and children
After the salutation had passed between him and his brother Jacob, he looked, and saw behind him women and children, Jacob's two wives and his two handmaids, and twelve children he had by them, and said, who [are] those with thee?
who do those women and children belong to that follow thee? for Jacob had made no mention of his wives and children, when he sent his messengers to him, ( Genesis 32:5 ) ; and therefore Esau might very well ask this question, which Jacob replied to: and he said, the children which God hath graciously given thy
servant;
he speaks of his children as gifts of God, and as instances and pledges of his favour and good will to him, which he thankfully acknowledges; and at the same time speaks very respectfully to his brother, and in great condescension and humility owns himself his servant, but says nothing of his wives; not that he was ashamed, as Abarbinel suggests, that he should have four wives, when his brother, who had less regard for religion, had but three; but he mentions his children as being near kin to Esau, and by whom he might conclude who the women were, and of whom also he might give a particular account, though the Scripture is silent about it; since Leah and Rachel were his own first cousins, ( Genesis 29:10 Genesis 29:16 ) ; and who they were no doubt he told him, as they came to pay their respects to him, as follows.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Genesis 33:5 In-Context

3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked. Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

6 Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down.

7 Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.