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Genesis 33

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

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, Genesis 33:1; putting questions to Jacob concerning the women and children with him, who make their obeisance to him as Jacob had done before, Genesis 33:5; and...

Genesis 33:1

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked,.... After he had passed over the brook, and was come to his wives and children; which was done either accidentally or on purpose, to see if he could espy his brother coming: some think this denotes his cheerfulness and courage, and that he was now not distressed and dejected, as he had been before: and,...

Genesis 33

Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry

We read, in the former chapter, how Jacob had power with God, and prevailed; here we find what power he had with men too, and how his brother Esau was mollified, and, on a sudden, reconciled to him; for so it is written, Prov. xvi. 7, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Here is, I. A very...

Genesis 33:1-2

Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon

And 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. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. He placed them in the order of his affection...

Genesis 33:2

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And he put the handmaids and their children foremost,.... In the first division, as being less honourable and less beloved by him: and Leah and her children after; still according to the degree of honour and affection due unto them; Leah being a wife that was imposed and forced upon him: and Rachel and Joseph hindermost; being most beloved by him,...

Genesis 33:3

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

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...

Genesis 33:3-4

Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon

And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. God had been very gracious to him, and all his fears were gone, so he met Esau as a brother, not as an enemy, and the four hundred men were...

Genesis 33:4

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Esau ran to meet him,.... If he rode on any creature, which is likely, he alighted from it on sight of his brother Jacob, and to express his joy on that occasion, and affection for him, made all the haste he could to meet him, as did the father of the prodigal, Lu 15:20, and embraced him; in his arms, with the greatest respect and tenderness:...

Genesis 33:5

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And he lift up his eyes, and saw the women and children,.... After the salutation had passed between him and his brother Jacob, he looked, and saw behind him women and children, Jacob's two wives and his two handmaids, and twelve children he had by them, and said, who [are] those with thee? who do those women and children belong to that follow...

Genesis 33:5

Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon

And 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. There was a considerable number of them altogether, more than enough, I expect most of you would think if you had them; but Jacob did not speak of them disparagingly, but he...

Genesis 33:6

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Then the handmaids came near, they and their children,.... Being foremost, and next to, Jacob, as Bilhah and her two sons, Dan and Naphtali, and Zilpah and her two sons, Gad and Asher: and they bowed themselves; in token of respect to Esau, as Jacob had done before them, and set them an example, and no doubt instructed them to do it.

Genesis 33:6-10

Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon

Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he...

Genesis 33:7

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves,.... Who were in the next division or company; their children were seven, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah, six sons and one daughter: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves; it is observed that Joseph is mentioned before his mother;...

Genesis 33:8

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

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...

Genesis 33:9

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Esau said, I have enough, my brother,.... Or "I have much" (o), and stand in no need of this present, or have much more than thou hast: keep that thou hast unto thyself; for the use of himself and family, which is large; in this Esau showed himself not only not a covetous man, but that he was truly reconciled to his brother, and needed not...

Genesis 33:10

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Jacob said, nay, I pray thee,.... Do not say so, as the Targum of Jonathan supplies it, or do not refuse my present: if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand; signifying, that the acceptance of his present would be a token to him, and give him full satisfaction that he bore a good will to him, and did not...

Genesis 33:10-12

Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon

For therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take, 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. And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. This...

Genesis 33:11

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee,.... The present he had sent him, now carrying home to his house, which was a part of what God had blessed Jacob with; and which he from a beneficent generous spirit gave his brother, wishing the blessing of God to go along with it; it was an insinuation, and so he would have it taken, that he...

Genesis 33:12

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And he said, let us take our journey, and let us go,.... To Seir, where Esau lived, and whither he invited Jacob to stop a while, and refresh himself and his family: and I will go before thee; to show him the way to his palace, and to protect him on the road from all dangers; or "besides thee" (q), alongside of him, keeping equal pace with him,...

Genesis 33:13

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And he said unto him, my lord knoweth the children [are] tender,.... The eldest being but thirteen years of age, and the youngest about six; and Esau might easily perceive by their stature that they were young and tender, and not able to bear either riding or walking very fast: and the flocks and herds with young [are] with me; or "upon me" (r);...