KJV King James Version
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Genesis 33:3
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
WEB World English Bible
He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
ASV American Standard Version
And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And he himself passed over before them, and boweth himself to the earth seven times, until his drawing nigh unto his brother,
Surrounding context — Genesis 33
1 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.
2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
5 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.
6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וְה֖וּאH1931 · huhe/she/itעָבַ֣רH5674 · a.varto passלִפְנֵיהֶ֑םH6440 · pa.nehface: beforeוַיִּשְׁתַּ֤חוּH7812 · sha.chahto bowאַ֙רְצָה֙H776 · e.retsland: country/planetשֶׁ֣בַעH7651 · she.vasevenפְּעָמִ֔יםH6471 · pa.ambeatעַד־H5704 · adtillגִּשְׁתּ֖וֹH5066 · na.gashto approach: approachעַד־H5704 · adtillאָחִֽיו׃H251 · achbrother: male-sibling
Cross-references
Genesis 42:6And Joseph [was] the governor over the land, [and] he [it was] that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him [with] their faces to the earth.Genesis 18:2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,Luke 14:11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.Genesis 43:26And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which [was] in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.Proverbs 6:3Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.John 10:11-12I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.John 10:4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.Ecclesiastes 10:4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.John 10:15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.1 Samuel 2:5[They that were] full have hired out themselves for bread; and [they that were] hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Genesis 33:3
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →