Genesis

Genesis 33:2–7

²He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. ³But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

⁴Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

⁵When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?”

Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.” ⁶Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down. ⁷Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.

Read all of Genesis 33

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 33:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He put	וַיָּ֧שֶׂם	way·yā·śem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
the maidservants	הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת	haš·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H8198 maid, maid-servant
and their	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
children	יַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן	yal·ḏê·hen	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine plural	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
in front	רִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה	ri·šō·nāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7223 former, first, chief
Leah	לֵאָ֤ה	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
and her children	וִֽילָדֶ֙יהָ֙	wî·lā·ḏe·hā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
next	אַחֲרֹנִ֔ים	’a·ḥă·rō·nîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H314 coming after
and Rachel	רָחֵ֥ל	rā·ḥêl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
and Joseph	יוֹסֵ֖ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
at the rear	אַחֲרֹנִֽים׃	’a·ḥă·rō·nîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H314 coming after

Genesis 33:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	וְה֖וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
went on	עָבַ֣ר	‘ā·ḇar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
ahead	לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם	lip̄·nê·hem	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H6440 face, before
and bowed	וַיִּשְׁתַּ֤חוּ	way·yiš·ta·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7812 bow down
to the ground	אַ֙רְצָה֙	’ar·ṣāh	Noun - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H776 earth, land
seven	שֶׁ֣בַע	še·ḇa‘	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
times	פְּעָמִ֔ים	pə·‘ā·mîm	Noun - feminine plural	H6471 beat, foot, anvil, occurrence
as	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
he approached	גִּשְׁתּ֖וֹ	giš·tōw	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H5066 draw near, approach
his brother	אָחִֽיו׃	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother

Genesis 33:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Esau	עֵשָׂ֤ו	‘ê·śāw	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6215 Esau
however	עֵשָׂ֤ו	‘ê·śāw	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6215 Esau
ran to him	וַיָּ֨רָץ	way·yā·rāṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7323 run
and embraced him	וַֽיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּ	way·ḥab·bə·qê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H2263 clasp, embrace
threw his arms around	וַיִּפֹּ֥ל	way·yip·pōl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie
his neck	צַוָּארָ֖ו	ṣaw·wå̄·rå̄w	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6677 neck, back of neck
and kissed him	וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄ	way·yiš·šå̄·qē·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H5401 kiss
And they both wept	וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃	way·yiḇ·kū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1058 weep, bewail

Genesis 33:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Esau looked up	וַיִּשָּׂ֣א	way·yiś·śā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
and saw	וַיַּ֤רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
the women	הַנָּשִׁים֙	han·nā·šîm	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H802 woman, wife, female
and children	הַיְלָדִ֔ים	hay·lā·ḏîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
he asked	וַיֹּ֖אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Who	מִי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
are these	אֵ֣לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
with you	לָּ֑ךְ	lāḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular
answered	וַיֹּאמַ֕ר	way·yō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
the children	הַיְלָדִ֕ים	hay·lā·ḏîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
has graciously given	חָנַ֥ן	ḥā·nan	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious
your servant	עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃	‘aḇ·de·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant

Genesis 33:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the maidservants	הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת	haš·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H8198 maid, maid-servant
and their	הֵ֥נָּה	hên·nāh	Pronoun - third person feminine plural	H2007 they
children	וְיַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן	wə·yal·ḏê·hen	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine plural	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
approached	וַתִּגַּ֧שְׁןָ	wat·tig·gaš·nā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H5066 draw near, approach
and bowed down	וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽיןָ׃	wat·tiš·ta·ḥă·we·nā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H7812 bow down

Genesis 33:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Leah	לֵאָ֛ה	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
and her children	וִילָדֶ֖יהָ	wî·lā·ḏe·hā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
approached	וַתִּגַּ֧שׁ	wat·tig·gaš	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5066 draw near, approach
and bowed down	וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֑וּ	way·yiš·ta·ḥă·wū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7812 bow down
and then	וְאַחַ֗ר	wə·’a·ḥar	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H310 behind
Joseph	יוֹסֵ֛ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
and Rachel	וְרָחֵ֖ל	wə·rā·ḥêl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
approached	נִגַּ֥שׁ	nig·gaš	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5066 draw near, approach
and bowed down	וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃	way·yiš·ta·ḥă·wū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7812 bow down

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 33:3 Genesis 42:6 · Genesis 18:2 · Luke 14:11 · Genesis 43:26

Genesis 33:4 Genesis 45:14–15 · Psalm 34:4 · Luke 15:20 · Genesis 32:28 · Genesis 45:2 · Genesis 46:29 · Acts 20:37 · Nehemiah 1:11 · Genesis 43:30 · Job 2:12 · Proverbs 16:7

Genesis 33:5 Psalm 127:3 · Isaiah 8:18 · Genesis 48:9 · Ruth 4:13 · Hebrews 2:13 · Genesis 30:2 · 1 Samuel 1:27 · 1 Chronicles 28:5

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.