And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
Read it in contextJacob Meets Esau
Start reading at Genesis 33:1 (Genesis 33:1 to Genesis 33:17).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Family rivalry, journeys, marriages, and reconciliation develop the promised line while also recording the related family of Esau.
33:1And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.
33:2And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
33:3And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
33:4And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
33:5And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.
33:6Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
33:7And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
33:8And 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.
33:9And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
33:10And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
33:11Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.
33:12And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
33:13And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
33:14Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.
33:15And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
33:16So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
33:17And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the traditional Jewish and Christian author of Genesis as part of the Pentateuch. Genesis itself does not explicitly identify its writer. Biblical references: John 5:46; Mark 12:26. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Genesis 32:1–33:20): Jacob prepares to meet Esau, prays, and wrestles during the night; he then meets Esau with their accompanying households and men. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel, the covenant people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were the first community for whom this account of their origins was preserved. An exact first circulation date or named recipient is not established. Biblical references: Genesis 12:1; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 35:10. book background
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Jacob Meets Esau. Read Genesis 33:1 through Genesis 33:17 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Family rivalry, journeys, marriages, and reconciliation develop the promised line while also recording the related family of Esau. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The narrative moves from creation through the generations of the patriarchs to Joseph's death. Those stages are narrated; a modern calendar for them requires additional chronological assumptions. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The narrative ranges from the world of the opening chapters through Mesopotamia and Canaan to Egypt. The selected passage's own place names determine its local setting. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Jacob Meets Esau (Genesis 33:1 to Genesis 33:17).
Start reading at Genesis 33:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The later New Testament traces Jesus' genealogy through Abraham and connects the promise to Abraham with Christ. This is a canonical connection; it does not make every person or object in Genesis an explicit prediction of Jesus. See Matthew 1:1, Galatians 3:16. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Read God's promises with their named recipients and the actions of those recipients. The family narratives encourage trust and obedience while also exposing deception and wrongdoing; narrative description alone does not authorize imitation. interpretation
Cited: Genesis 33:1, Genesis 33:17, Matthew 1:1, Galatians 3:16
Who wrote it, and how we know
Moses (traditional)From early tradition
What Scripture saysThe book does not name its author. Elsewhere Scripture attributes the Law to Moses, and Jesus calls it the book of Moses. Exodus 17:14Joshua 8:31Mark 12:26John 5:46
Early traditionJewish tradition (Talmud, Baba Bathra 14b) and the early church assign the first five books to Moses.
What is debatedSome scholars propose several later sources behind the Pentateuch. A few notes appear to be written after Moses, such as the list of kings in Genesis 36:31.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Genesis 33
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Genesis introduces creation, the nations, and the ancestral family of Israel. It does not name a recipient or give a composition date. Read the promises to named people in their narrated settings before applying them to later readers. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Family rivalry, journeys, marriages, and reconciliation develop the promised line while also recording the related family of Esau.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Family rivalry, journeys, marriages, and reconciliation develop the promised line while also recording the related family of Esau.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Genesis
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Genesis introduces creation, the nations, and the ancestral family of Israel. It does not name a recipient or give a composition date. Read the promises to named people in their narrated settings before applying them to later readers.
Connection to the wholeThe opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
Connection to the wholeThe narrative concentrates on God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Isaac, and the continuation of the family through whom the earlier promise is carried forward.
Connection to the wholeFamily rivalry, journeys, marriages, and reconciliation develop the promised line while also recording the related family of Esau.
Connection to the wholeJoseph's experiences lead to the preservation of Jacob's family in Egypt. The book closes with confidence about a future return, preparing the setting of Exodus.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.