Genesis 33:3

3 He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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 Ya`akov lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esav was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Le'ah, Rachel, and to the two handmaids.

2 He put the handmaids and their children in front, Le'ah and her children after, and Rachel and Yosef at the rear.

3 He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

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

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