1. behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men--Jacob having
crossed the ford and ranged his wives and children in order--the dearest last,
that they might be the least exposed to danger--awaited the expected interview.
His faith was strengthened and his fears gone (Psalms
27:3). Having had power to prevail with God, he was confident of the same
power with man, according to the promise (compare Genesis
32:28).
3. he bowed himself . . . seven times--The manner of doing
this is by looking towards a superior and bowing with the upper part of the body
brought parallel to the ground, then advancing a few steps and bowing again, and
repeating his obeisance till, at the seventh time, the suppliant stands in the
immediate presence of his superior. The members of his family did the same. This
was a token of profound respect, and, though very marked, it would appear
natural; for Esau being the elder brother, was, according to the custom of the
East, entitled to respectful treatment from his younger brother. His attendants
would be struck by it, and according to Eastern habits, would magnify it in the
hearing of their master.
4. Esau ran to meet him--What a sudden and surprising change! Whether
the sight of the princely present and the profound homage of Jacob had produced
this effect, or it proceeded from the impulsive character of Esau, the cherished
enmity of twenty years in a moment disappeared; the weapons of war were laid
aside, and the warmest tokens of mutual affection reciprocated between the
brothers. But doubtless, the efficient cause was the secret, subduing influence
of grace (Proverbs
21:1), which converted Esau from an enemy into a friend.
5. Who are those with thee?--It might have been enough to say, They
are my children; but Jacob was a pious man, and he could not give even a common
answer but in the language of piety (Psalms
127:3, 113:9,
107:41).
11. He urged him and he took it--In the East the acceptance by a
superior is a proof of friendship, and by an enemy, of reconciliation. It was on
both accounts Jacob was so anxious that his brother should receive the cattle;
and in Esau's acceptance he had the strongest proofs of a good feeling being
established that Eastern notions admit of.
12. And he said, Let us take our journey--Esau proposed to accompany
Jacob and his family through the country, both as a mark of friendship and as an
escort to guard them. But the proposal was prudently declined. Jacob did not
need any worldly state or equipage. Notwithstanding the present cordiality, the
brothers were so different in spirit, character, and habits--the one so much a
man of the world, and the other a man of God, that there was great risk of
something occurring to disturb the harmony. Jacob having alleged a very
reasonable excuse for the tardiness of his movements, the brothers parted in
peace.
14. until I come unto my lord--It seems to have been Jacob's
intention, passing round the Dead Sea, to visit his brother in Seir, and thus,
without crossing the Jordan, go to Beer-sheba to Isaac; but he changed his plan,
and whether the intention was carried out then or at a future period has not
been recorded.
17. Jacob journeyed to Succoth--that is, "booths," that
being the first station at which Jacob halted on his arrival in Canaan. His
posterity, when dwelling in houses of stone, built a city there and called it
Succoth, to commemorate the fact that their ancestor, "a Syrian ready to
perish" [Deuteronomy
26:5], was glad to dwell in booths.
18. Shalem--that is, "peace"; and the meaning may be that
Jacob came into Canaan, arriving safe and sound at the city Shechem--a tribute
to Him who had promised such a return (compare Genesis
28:15). But most writers take Shalem as a proper name--a city of Shechem,
and the site is marked by one of the little villages about two miles to the
northeast. A little farther in the valley below Shechem "he bought a parcel
of a field," thus being the first of the patriarchs who became a proprietor
of land in Canaan.
19. an hundred pieces of money--literally, "lambs"; probably
a coin with the figure of a lamb on it.
20. and he erected . . . an altar--A beautiful proof of his
personal piety, a most suitable conclusion to his journey, and a lasting
memorial of a distinguished favor in the name "God, the God of
Israel." Wherever we pitch a tent, God shall have an altar.
Genesis 33 Bible Commentary
Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown
Genesis 33:1-11. KINDNESS OF JACOB AND ESAU.
1. behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men--Jacob having crossed the ford and ranged his wives and children in order--the dearest last, that they might be the least exposed to danger--awaited the expected interview. His faith was strengthened and his fears gone (Psalms 27:3). Having had power to prevail with God, he was confident of the same power with man, according to the promise (compare Genesis 32:28).
3. he bowed himself . . . seven times--The manner of doing this is by looking towards a superior and bowing with the upper part of the body brought parallel to the ground, then advancing a few steps and bowing again, and repeating his obeisance till, at the seventh time, the suppliant stands in the immediate presence of his superior. The members of his family did the same. This was a token of profound respect, and, though very marked, it would appear natural; for Esau being the elder brother, was, according to the custom of the East, entitled to respectful treatment from his younger brother. His attendants would be struck by it, and according to Eastern habits, would magnify it in the hearing of their master.
4. Esau ran to meet him--What a sudden and surprising change! Whether the sight of the princely present and the profound homage of Jacob had produced this effect, or it proceeded from the impulsive character of Esau, the cherished enmity of twenty years in a moment disappeared; the weapons of war were laid aside, and the warmest tokens of mutual affection reciprocated between the brothers. But doubtless, the efficient cause was the secret, subduing influence of grace (Proverbs 21:1), which converted Esau from an enemy into a friend.
5. Who are those with thee?--It might have been enough to say, They are my children; but Jacob was a pious man, and he could not give even a common answer but in the language of piety (Psalms 127:3, 113:9, 107:41).
11. He urged him and he took it--In the East the acceptance by a superior is a proof of friendship, and by an enemy, of reconciliation. It was on both accounts Jacob was so anxious that his brother should receive the cattle; and in Esau's acceptance he had the strongest proofs of a good feeling being established that Eastern notions admit of.
Genesis 33:12-20. THE PARTING.
12. And he said, Let us take our journey--Esau proposed to accompany Jacob and his family through the country, both as a mark of friendship and as an escort to guard them. But the proposal was prudently declined. Jacob did not need any worldly state or equipage. Notwithstanding the present cordiality, the brothers were so different in spirit, character, and habits--the one so much a man of the world, and the other a man of God, that there was great risk of something occurring to disturb the harmony. Jacob having alleged a very reasonable excuse for the tardiness of his movements, the brothers parted in peace.
14. until I come unto my lord--It seems to have been Jacob's intention, passing round the Dead Sea, to visit his brother in Seir, and thus, without crossing the Jordan, go to Beer-sheba to Isaac; but he changed his plan, and whether the intention was carried out then or at a future period has not been recorded.
17. Jacob journeyed to Succoth--that is, "booths," that being the first station at which Jacob halted on his arrival in Canaan. His posterity, when dwelling in houses of stone, built a city there and called it Succoth, to commemorate the fact that their ancestor, "a Syrian ready to perish" [Deuteronomy 26:5], was glad to dwell in booths.
18. Shalem--that is, "peace"; and the meaning may be that Jacob came into Canaan, arriving safe and sound at the city Shechem--a tribute to Him who had promised such a return (compare Genesis 28:15). But most writers take Shalem as a proper name--a city of Shechem, and the site is marked by one of the little villages about two miles to the northeast. A little farther in the valley below Shechem "he bought a parcel of a field," thus being the first of the patriarchs who became a proprietor of land in Canaan.
19. an hundred pieces of money--literally, "lambs"; probably a coin with the figure of a lamb on it.
20. and he erected . . . an altar--A beautiful proof of his personal piety, a most suitable conclusion to his journey, and a lasting memorial of a distinguished favor in the name "God, the God of Israel." Wherever we pitch a tent, God shall have an altar.