And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
Parallel translations
- WEB Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
- BSB Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
- NKJV But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
- NASB Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
- NLT Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
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
Esau runs to embrace Jacob, falls on his neck, kisses him, and they weep together. The feared confrontation becomes a tender reconciliation.
Overview
Against all of Jacob's fears, Esau responds with warm forgiveness and brotherly affection. God has gone before to soften Esau's heart, turning potential vengeance into a tearful reunion. This reconciliation of estranged brothers displays the grace of God who makes peace and restores broken relationships.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Gen 45:14–15And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
- Ps 34:4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
- Luke 15:20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
- Gen 32:28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
- Gen 45:2And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
- Gen 46:29And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
- Acts 20:37And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,
- Gen 43:30And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
- Prov 16:7When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
- Job 2:12And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
- Neh 1:11O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.
- Gen 43:34And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
- Prov 21:1The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 33:4 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.