Genesis33

English Standard Version

TranslationKJV WEB ASV ESV NIV NASB NKJV NLT

¹And his and , and , was , and with him. So he the among and and the .

²And he the with their in , with her , and and last of .

³He , to the , until he came to his .

⁴But to and him and on his and , and they .

⁵And when Esau his and the and , he , are with you? Jacob , The has your .

⁶Then the drew , they and their , and bowed .

⁷ and her drew and bowed . And and drew , and they bowed .

⁸Esau , do you mean by this that I ? Jacob , To in the of my .

⁹But , I , my ; keep you have for yourself.

¹⁰ , , , I have in your , then my from my . I have your , which is like the of , and you have .

¹¹ my that is to you, has dealt with me, and I . Thus he him, and he it.

¹²Then Esau , Let us on our , and I will of you.

¹³But Jacob to him, My that the are , and that the and are a to me. If they are for , the will .

¹⁴Let my ahead his , and I will , at the of the that are of me and at the of the , until I to my in .

¹⁵So , me with you of the are me. But he , need is ? Let me in the of my .

¹⁶So that on his to .

¹⁷But to , and himself a and for his . the of the is .

¹⁸And to the of , is in the of , on his from , and he the .

¹⁹And the of , , he for a pieces of the of on he had his .

²⁰There he an and it .

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 33.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The friendly meeting of Jacob and Esau. (1–16). Jacob comes to Succoth and Shalem, He builds an altar. (17–20).

vv1-16

Jacob, having by prayer committed his case to God, went on his way. Come what will, nothing can come amiss to him whose heart is fixed, trusting in God. Jacob bowed to Esau. A humble, submissive behaviour goes far towards turning away wrath. Esau embraced Jacob. God has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can turn them when and how he pleases. It is not in vain to trust in God, and to call upon him in the day of trouble. And when a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Esau receives Jacob as a brother, and much tenderness passes between them. Esau asks, Who are those with thee? To this common question, Jacob spoke like himself, like a man whose eyes are ever directed towards the Lord. Jacob urged Esau, though his fear was over, and he took his present. It is well when men's religion makes them generous, free-hearted, and open-handed. But Jacob declined Esau's offer to accompany him. It is not desirable to be too intimate with superior ungodly relations, who will expect us to join in their vanities, or at least to wink at them, though they blame, and perhaps mock at, our religion. Such will either be a snare to us, or offended with us. We shall venture the loss of all things, rather than endanger our souls, if we know their value; rather than renounce Christ, if we truly love him. And let Jacob's care and tender attention to his family and flocks remind us of the good Shepherd of our souls, who gathers the lambs with his arm, and carries them in his bosom, and gently leads those that are with young, Isa 40:11. As parents, teachers or pastors, we should all follow his example.

vv17-20

Jacob did not content himself with words of thanks for God's favour to him, but gave real thanks. Also he kept up religion, and the worship of God in his family. Where we have a tent, God must have an altar. Jacob dedicated this altar to the honour of El-elohe-Israel, God, the God of Israel; to the honour of God, the only living and true God; and to the honour of the God of Israel, as a God in covenant with him. Israel's God is Israel's glory. Blessed be his name, he is still the mighty God, the God of Israel. May we praise his name, and rejoice in his love, through our pilgrimage here on earth, and for ever in the heavenly Canaan.

Key Words

JacobH3290Hebrew

יַעֲקֹב: Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch

lifted upH5375Hebrew

נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

eyesH5869Hebrew

עַיִן: an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

lookedH7200Hebrew

רָאָה: to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

beholdH2009Hebrew

הִנֵּה: lo!

EsauH6215Hebrew

עֵשָׂו: Esav, a son of Isaac, including his posterity

comingH935Hebrew

בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

fourH702Hebrew

אַרְבַּע: four

hundredH3967Hebrew

מֵאָה: a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

menH376Hebrew

אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)