Genesis 33:5-15

5 And Esau looked up and saw the women and the children, and said, What are these to thee? And he said, The children with which God has mercifully blessed thy servant.

6 And the maid-servants and their children drew near and did reverence.

7 And Lea and her children drew near and did reverence; and after this drew near Rachel and Joseph, and did reverence.

8 And he said, What are these things to thee, all these companies that I have met? And he said, That thy servant might find grace in thy sight, my lord.

9 And Esau said, I have much, my brother; keep thine own.

10 And Jacob said, If I have found grace in thy sight, receive the gifts through my hands; therefore have I seen thy face, as if any one should see the face of God, and thou shalt be well-pleased with me.

11 Receive my blessings, which I have brought thee, because God has had mercy on me, and I have all things; and he constrained him, and he took .

12 And he said, Let us depart, and proceed right onward.

13 And he said to him, My lord knows, that the children are very tender, and the flocks and the herds with me are with young; if then I shall drive them hard one day, all the cattle will die.

14 Let my lord go on before his servant, and I shall have strength on the road according to the ease of the journey before me, and according to the strength of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.

15 And Esau said, I will leave with thee some of the people who are with me. And he said, Why so? it is enough that I have found favour before thee, lord.

Genesis 33:5-15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gr. foot.