But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
Parallel translations
- WEB He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
- KJV And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
- NKJV Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
- NASB But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
- NLT Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jacob goes ahead of his family and bows to the ground seven times as he nears Esau. His sevenfold bow expresses deep humility and submission.
Overview
Jacob leads from the front, placing himself first in the path of danger, and bows repeatedly in homage to his brother. The sevenfold prostration was a gesture of profound respect, reversing the dominance he had once sought. His humility before the brother he wronged embodies a repentant, reconciling spirit.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Gen 42:6Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
- Luke 14:11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- Gen 18:2And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
- Gen 43:26When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
- John 10:4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
- Prov 6:3then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
- Eccl 10:4If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
- John 10:15just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.
- John 10:11–12I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
- 1 Sam 2:5The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 33:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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