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The NET Bible®
Genesis 33:3
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Jacob himself went out in front of them and bowed down flat on the ground seven times as he was walking toward his brother.
And he passed on before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, till he came near to his brother.
He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Then Jacob crossed over [the stream] ahead of them and bowed himself to the ground seven times [bowing and moving forward each time], until he approached his brother.
And Jacob yede bifore, and worschipide lowli to erthe seuensithis, til his brothir neiyede.
And he himself passed over before them, and boweth himself to the earth seven times, until his drawing nigh unto his brother,
But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
Jacob himself walked in front of them all, bowing to the ground seven times as he came near his brother.
Then he himself passed on ahead of them and prostrated himself on the ground seven times before approaching his brother.
And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
And he himself, going before them, went down on his face to the earth seven times till he came near his brother.
And he went before them, and bowed him selfe to the grounde seuen tymes, vntill he came to his brother.
And he passed on before them, and bowed to the earth seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Jacob himself went out before them. While he was walking toward his brother Esau, he bowed down to the ground seven times.
And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
And hee passed ouer before them, and bowed himselfe to the ground seuen times, vntill hee came neere to his brother.
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Then Jacob went before them. He bowed to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.
He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.
but he himself, passed over before them, and bowed himself to the earth seven times, until he had come near unto his brother.
So he went before them and bowed him selfe to the ground seuen times, vntill he came neere to his brother.
And he himself went on before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Jacob went ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times, until his brother came near.
He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
But he advanced himself before them, and did reverence to the ground seven times, until he drew near to his brother.
And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
He himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times until he approached his brother.
He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
And he himself passed on before them and bowed down to the ground seven times until he came to his brother.
And he passed over in front of them and bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came even to his brother.
And he wente before them, and bowed him self to the grounde seuen tymes, tyll he came to his brother.
But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him.
But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
passed: John 10:4, John 10:11, John 10:12, John 10:15
bowed: Genesis 18:2, Genesis 42:6, Genesis 43:26, Proverbs 6:3, Ecclesiastes 10:4, Luke 14:11
seven times: 1 Samuel 2:5
Reciprocal: Genesis 25:23 - two manner Genesis 32:17 - Whose art Genesis 48:12 - he bowed himself Exodus 18:7 - did obeisance 2 Samuel 9:6 - he fell Matthew 5:25 - with
Cross-References
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Please take my present that was brought to you, for God has been generous to me and I have all I need." When Jacob urged him, he took it.
Then Esau said, "Let's be on our way! I will go in front of you."
Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, and they bowed down to the ground before him.
Those who are well-fed hire themselves out to earn food, but the hungry no longer lack. Even the barren woman gives birth to seven, but the one with many children withers away.
then, my child, do this in order to deliver yourself, because you have fallen into your neighbor's power: go, humble yourself, and appeal firmly to your neighbor.
If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
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, c.''
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.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- Jacob and Esau Meet
17. סכת sûkkôth, Sukkoth, “booths,” consisting of poles forming a roof covered with branches, leaves, or grass.
19. חמור chămôr Chamor, “ass, red, heap.” קשׂיטה qeśı̂yṭâh Qesitah, weighed or measured. Ἀμνὸς Amnos, Septuagint and Onkelos
Jacob has a friendly interview with Esau, and re-+enters Kenaan.
Genesis 33:1-3
Jacob, upon seeing Esau approach with his four hundred men, advances with circumspection and lowly obeisance. He divided his family, arranged them according to their preciousness in his eyes, and walks himself in front. In drawing near, he bows seven times, in token of complete submission to his older brother. Esau, the wild hunter, is completely softened, and manifests the warmest affection, which is reciprocated by Jacob. The puncta extraordinaria over וישׁקהוּ vayı̂shēqēhû, “and kissed him,” seemingly intimating a doubt of the reading or of the sincerity of Esau, are wholly unwarranted. Esau then observes the women and children, and inquires who they are. Jacob replies that God had granted, graciously bestowed on him, these children. They approach in succession, and do obeisance. Esau now inquires of the caravan or horde he had already met. He had heard the announcement of the servants; but he awaited the confirmation of the master. “To find grace in the eyes of my lord.” Jacob values highly the good-will of his brother. The acceptance of this present is the security for that good-will, and for all the safety and protection which it involved. Esau at first declines the gift, but on being urged by Jacob accepts it, and thereby relieves Jacob of all his anxiety. His brother is now his friend indeed. “Therefore, have I seen thy face,” that I might give thee this token of my affection. “As if I had seen the face of God.” The unexpected kindness with which his brother had received him was a type and proof of the kindness of the All-provident, by whom it had been added to all his other mercies. My blessing; my gift which embodies my good wishes. I have all; not only enough, but all that I can wish.
Genesis 33:12-16
They now part for the present. “I will qo with thee;” as an escort or vanguard. Jacob explains that this would be inconvenient for both parties, as his tender children and suckling cattle could not keep pace with Esau’s men, who were used to the road. “At the pace of the cattle;” as fast as the business (מלאכה melā'kâh) of traveling with cattle will permit. Unto Selr. Jacob is travelling to the land of Kenaan, and to the residence of his father. But, on arriving there, it will be his first duty to return the fraternal visit of Esau. The very circumstance that he sent messengers to apprise his brother of his arrival, implies that he was prepared to cultivate friendly relations with him. Jacob also declines the offer of some of the men that Esau had with him. He had, doubtless, enough of hands to manage his remaining flock, and he now relied more than ever on the protection of that God who had ever proved himself a faithful and effectual guardian.
Genesis 33:17
“Sukkoth” was south of the Jabbok, and east of the Jordan, as we learn from Judges 8:4-9. From the same passage it appears to have been nearer the Jordan than Penuel, which was at the ford of Jahbok. Sukkoth cannot therefore, be identified with Sakut, which Robinson finds on the other side of the Jordan, about ten miles north of the mouth of the Jabbok. “And built him a house.” This indicates a permanent residence. Booths, or folds, composed of upright stakes wattled together, and sheltered with leafy branches. The closed space in the text is properly introduced here, to indicate the pause in the narrative, while Jacob sojourned in this place. Dinah, who is not noticed on the journey, was now not more than six years of age. Six or seven years more, therefore, must have elapsed before the melancholy events of the next chapter took place. In the interval, Jacob may have visited his father, and even returned the visit of Esau.
Genesis 33:18-20
Jacob at length crosses the Jordan, and enters again the land of Kenaan. “In peace.” The original word (שׁלם shālēm “safe, in peace”) is rendered Shalem, the name of the town at which Jacob arrived, by the Septuagint. The rendering safe, or in peace, is here adopted, because (1) the word is to be taken as a common noun or adjective, unless there be a clear necessity for a proper name; (2) “the place” was called Shekem in the time of Abraham Genesis 12:6, and the “town” is so designated in the thirty-fifth chapter Genesis 35:4; and (3) the statement that Jacob arrived in safety accounts for the additional clauses, “which is in the land of Kenaan,” and “when he went from Padan-aram,” and is in accordance with the promise Genesis 28:21 that he would return in peace. If, however, the Salim found by Robinson to the west of Nablous be the present town, it must be called the city of Shekem, because it belonged to the Shekem mentioned in the following verse and chapter. “Pitched before the city.”
Jacob did not enter into the city, because his flocks and herds could not find accommodation there, and he did not want to come into close contact with the inhabitants. “He bought a parcel of the field.” He is anxious to have a place he may call his own, where he may have a permanent resting-place. “For a hundred kesitahs.” The kesitah may have been a piece of silver or gold, of a certain weight, equal in value to a lamb (see Gesenius). “El-Elohe-Israel.” Jacob consecrates his ground by the erection of an altar. He calls it the altar of the Mighty One, the God of Israel, in which he signalizes the omnipotence of him who had brought him in safety to the land of promise through many perils, the new name by which he himself had been lately designated, and the blessed communion which now existed between the Almighty and himself. This was the very spot where Abraham, about one hundred and eighty-five years ago, built the first altar he erected in the promised land Genesis 12:6-7. It is now consecrated anew to the God of promise.
