331 Then Jacob, lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. So he made a division of the children between Leah and Rachel and the two women-servants. 2 He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph at the back. 3 And he himself, going before them, went down on his face to the earth seven times till he came near his brother. 4 Then Esau came running up to him, and folding him in his arms, gave him a kiss: and the two of them were overcome with weeping.
5 Then Esau, lifting up his eyes, saw the women and the children, and said, Who are these with you? And he said, The children whom God in his mercy has given to your servant. 6 Then the servants and their children came near, and went down on their faces. 7 And Leah came near with her children, and then Joseph and Rachel, and they did the same. 8 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. 9 But Esau said, I have enough; keep what is yours, my brother, for yourself. 10 And Jacob said, Not so; but if I have grace in your eyes, take them as a sign of my love, for I have seen your face as one may see the face of God, and you have been pleased with me. 11 Take my offering then, with my blessing; for God has been very good to me and I have enough: so at his strong request, he took it. 12 And he said, Let us go on our journey together, and I will go in front. 13 But Jacob said, My lord may see that the children are only small, and there are young ones in my flocks and herds: one day's over-driving will be the destruction of all the flock. 14 Do you, my lord, go on before your servant; I will come on slowly, at the rate at which the cattle and the children are able to go, till I come to my lord at Seir. 15 And Esau said, Then keep some of my men with you. And he said, What need is there for that, if my lord is pleased with me?
16 So Esau, turning back that day, went on his way to Seir.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 33:1-16
Commentary on Genesis 33:1-16
(Read Genesis 33:1-16)
Jacob, having by prayer committed his case to God, went on his way. Come what will, nothing can come amiss to him whose heart is fixed, trusting in God. Jacob bowed to Esau. A humble, submissive behaviour goes far towards turning away wrath. Esau embraced Jacob. God has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can turn them when and how he pleases. It is not in vain to trust in God, and to call upon him in the day of trouble. And when a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Esau receives Jacob as a brother, and much tenderness passes between them. Esau asks, Who are those with thee? To this common question, Jacob spoke like himself, like a man whose eyes are ever directed towards the Lord. Jacob urged Esau, though his fear was over, and he took his present. It is well when men's religion makes them generous, free-hearted, and open-handed. But Jacob declined Esau's offer to accompany him. It is not desirable to be too intimate with superior ungodly relations, who will expect us to join in their vanities, or at least to wink at them, though they blame, and perhaps mock at, our religion. Such will either be a snare to us, or offended with us. We shall venture the loss of all things, rather than endanger our souls, if we know their value; rather than renounce Christ, if we truly love him. And let Jacob's care and tender attention to his family and flocks remind us of the good Shepherd of our souls, who gathers the lambs with his arm, and carries them in his bosom, and gently leads those that are with young, Isaiah 40:11. As parents, teachers or pastors, we should all follow his example.