331 And Jacob lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, Esau is coming, and with him four hundred men; and he divideth the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two maid-servants; 2 and he setteth the maid-servants and their children first, and Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 And he himself passed over before them, and boweth himself to the earth seven times, until his drawing nigh unto his brother, 4 and Esau runneth to meet him, and embraceth him, and falleth on his neck, and kisseth him, and they weep;
5 and he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the women and the children, and saith, 'What 'are' these to thee?' And he saith, 'The children with whom God hath favoured thy servant.' 6 And the maid-servants draw nigh, they and their children, and bow themselves; 7 and Leah also draweth nigh, and her children, and they bow themselves; and afterwards Joseph hath drawn nigh with Rachel, and they bow themselves. 8 And he saith, 'What to thee 'is' all this camp which I have met?' and he saith, 'To find grace in the eyes of my lord.' 9 And Esau saith, 'I have abundance, my brother, let it be to thyself that which thou hast.' 10 And Jacob saith, 'Nay, I pray thee, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, then thou hast received my present from my hand, because that I have seen thy face, as the seeing of the face of God, and thou art pleased with me; 11 receive, I pray thee, my blessing, which is brought to thee, because God hath favoured me, and because I have all 'things';' and he presseth on him, and he receiveth, 12 and saith, 'Let us journey and go on, and I go on before thee.' 13 And he saith unto him, 'My lord knoweth that the children 'are' tender, and the suckling flock and the herd 'are' with me; when they have beaten them one day, then hath all the flock died. 14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant, and I—I lead on gently, according to the foot of the work which 'is' before me, and to the foot of the children, until that I come unto my lord, to Seir.' 15 And Esau saith, 'Let me, I pray thee, place with thee some of the people who 'are' with me;' and he said, 'Why 'is' this? I find grace in the eyes of my lord.'
16 And turn back on that day doth Esau 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.