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The NET Bible®

Genesis 33:8

Esau then asked, "What did you intend by sending all these herds to meet me?" Jacob replied, "To find favor in your sight, my lord."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Conscience;   Prayer;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Esau;   Jacob;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Esau;   Grace;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Canaan (2);   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jacob;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cattle;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Esau;   Jacob;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company that I met?" Jacob answered, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
Update Bible Version
And he said, What do you mean by all this company which I met? And he said, To find favor in the sight of my lord.
New Century Version
Esau said, "I saw many herds as I was coming here. Why did you bring them?" Jacob answered, "They were to please you, my master."
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, What [meanest] thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, [these are] to find grace in the sight of my lord.
World English Bible
Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" Jacob said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
Amplified Bible
Esau asked, "What do you mean by all this company which I have met?" And he answered, "[These are] to find favor in the sight of my lord."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Esau seide, What ben these cumpanyes, whiche Y mette? Jacob answerde, That Y schulde fynde grace bifore my lord.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, `What to thee [is] all this camp which I have met?' and he saith, `To find grace in the eyes of my lord.'
Berean Standard Bible
"What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?" asked Esau. "To find favor in your sight, my lord," Jacob answered.
Contemporary English Version
Esau asked Jacob, "What did you mean by these herds I met along the road?" "Master," Jacob answered, "I sent them so that you would be friendly to me."
Complete Jewish Bible
‘Esav asked, "What was the meaning of this procession of droves I encountered?" and he answered, "It was to win my lord's favor."
American Standard Version
And he said, What meanest thou by all this company which I met? And he said, To find favor in the sight of my lord.
Bible in Basic English
And he said, What were all those herds which I saw on the way? And Jacob said, They were an offering so that I might have grace in my lord's eyes.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayde: what is all the droue whiche I met? He aunswered: that I may finde grace in the sight of my lorde.
Darby Translation
And he said, What [meanest] thou by all the drove which I met? And he said, To find favour in the eyes of my lord.
Easy-to-Read Version
Esau said, "Who were all those people I saw while I was coming here? And what were all those animals for?" Jacob answered, "These are my gifts to you so that you might accept me."
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'What meanest thou by all this camp which I met?' And he said: 'To find favour in the sight of my lord.'
King James Version (1611)
And he said, What meanest thou by all this droue, which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
King James Version
And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
New Life Bible
Esau said, "What do you mean by all these animals I have met?" And Jacob said, "They are a gift so I may find favor in the eyes of my lord."
New Revised Standard
Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company that I met?" Jacob answered, "To find favor with my lord."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said he, What to thee is all this camp, which I have fallen in with? And he said, - To find favour in the eyes of my lord.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he said, What meanest thou by all this droue, which I met? Who answered, I haue sent it, that I may finde fauour in the sight of my lorde:
George Lamsa Translation
And Esau said to Jacob, Where did you get all this company which I met? And Jacob said to him, Because I have found favor in the sight of my lord.
Good News Translation
Esau asked, "What about that other group I met? What did that mean?" Jacob answered, "It was to gain your favor."
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favour before my lord.
Revised Standard Version
Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" Jacob answered, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
English Revised Version
And he said, What meanest thou by all this company which I met? And he said, To find grace in the sight of my lord.
Christian Standard Bible®
So Esau said, “What do you mean by this whole procession I met?”
Hebrew Names Version
Esav said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" Ya`akov said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
Lexham English Bible
And he said, "What do you mean by all this company that I have met?" Then he said, "To find favor in the eyes of my lord."
Literal Translation
And he said, Whose is all this camp which I met? And he said, To find favor in the eyes of my lord.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sayde: What meanest thou wt all the droue that I met? He answered: that I might fynde grace in the sight of my lorde,
THE MESSAGE
Esau then asked, "And what was the meaning of all those herds that I met?" "I was hoping that they would pave the way for my master to welcome me."
New American Standard Bible
And he said, "What do you mean by all this company which I have met?" And he said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
New King James Version
Then Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" And he said, "These are to find favor in the sight of my lord."
New Living Translation
"And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?" Esau asked. Jacob replied, "They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And he said, "What do you mean by all this company which I have met?" And he said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, "What do you mean by all these camps which I have met?" And he said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."

Contextual Overview

5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and the children, he asked, "Who are these people with you?" Jacob replied, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant." 6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. 7 Then Leah came forward with her children and they bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down. 8 Esau then asked, "What did you intend by sending all these herds to meet me?" Jacob replied, "To find favor in your sight, my lord." 9 But Esau said, "I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you." 10 "No, please take them," Jacob said. "If I have found favor in your sight, accept my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, it is as if I have seen the face of God. 11 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. 12 Then Esau said, "Let's be on our way! I will go in front of you." 13 But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are young, and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die. 14 Let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the herds and the children, until I come to my lord at Seir."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What meanest thou by all this drove: Heb. What is all this band to thee, Genesis 32:13-20

to find: Genesis 32:5, Genesis 39:5, Esther 2:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:29 - General Genesis 32:4 - my lord Genesis 32:16 - space Genesis 39:4 - Joseph Ruth 2:13 - Let me find 1 Samuel 1:18 - Let thine 2 Samuel 16:2 - What meanest

Cross-References

Genesis 32:5
I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and female servants. I have sent this message to inform my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.'"
Genesis 33:13
But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are young, and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die.
Genesis 33:20
There he set up an altar and called it "The God of Israel is God."
Genesis 39:5
From the time Potiphar appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's household for Joseph's sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both in his house and in his fields.
Esther 2:17
And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval more than all the other young women. So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen in place of Vashti.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, what [meanest] thou by all this drove which I met?.... Not as being ignorant of the design of it; for no doubt the several drovers, according to their instructions from Jacob, had acquainted him with it; but he chose not to take the present on what they said, but was willing to have it from Jacob's own mouth, and that he might have the opportunity of refusing it:

and he said, [these are] to find grace in the sight of my lord; to gain his favour and good will; and which, as it was a token of Jacob's good will to him, so, by his acceptance of it, he would know that he bore the same to him also. It was usual in the eastern countries to carry presents to friends, and especially to great men, whenever visits were paid, as all travellers in general testify to be still the usage in those parts, to this day.

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.


 
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