Genesis 33 · Verse 2

Genesis 33:2

And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
Genesis 33:2, King James Version

Genesis 33:2 in other translations

BSBHe put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
WEBHe put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
ASVAnd he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
YLTand he setteth the maid-servants and their children first, and Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last.
DARBYand he put the maidservants and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindmost.
BBEHe put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph at the back.
WebsterAnd he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

What does Genesis 33:2 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 He put the handmaids and their children foremost - There is something so artificial in this arrangement of Jacob's family, that it must have had some peculiar design. Was Jacob still apprehensive of danger, and put those foremost whom he least esteemed, that if the foremost met with any evil, those who were behind might escape on their swift beasts? Gen 32:7, Gen 32:8. Or did he intend to keep his choicest treasure to the last, and exhibit his beautiful Rachel and favourite Joseph after Esau had seen all the rest, in order to make the deeper impression on his mind?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 33:1-16 →

Genesis 33:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֧שֶׂםvai.Ya.semand he putH7760
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹתha.she.fa.Chotthe maidservantsH8198
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
יַלְדֵיהֶ֖ןyal.dei.Henchildren theirH3206
רִֽאשֹׁנָ֑הri.sho.NahfirstH7223
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
לֵאָ֤הle.'AhLeahH3812
וִֽילָדֶ֙יהָ֙vi.la.Dei.haand children herH3206
אַחֲרֹנִ֔ים'a.cha.ro.NimbehindH314
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
רָחֵ֥לra.ChelRachelH7354
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
יוֹסֵ֖ףyo.SefJosephH3130
אַחֲרֹנִֽים\׃'a.cha.ro.NimbehindH314

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 33:2

  • Malachi 3:17

    And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

  • Genesis 30:22-24

    And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.

  • Genesis 37:3

    Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

  • Genesis 29:30

    And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rachel.
29:30; 30:22-24; 37:3; Mal 3:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

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.

  • Genesis 33:2

    And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

  • 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 all of Genesis 33

Genesis 33:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y puso las siervas y sus niños delante; luego á Lea y á sus niños; y á Rachêl y á José los postreros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il mit à la tête les servantes et leurs enfants, et puis Léa et ses enfants, et puis Rachel et Joseph.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und er stellte die Mägde und ihre Kinder vornan und Lea und ihre Kinder dahinter und Rahel und Joseph zuletzt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et posuit utramque ancillam, et liberos earum, in principio: Liam vero, et filios ejus, in secundo loco: Rachel autem et Joseph novissimos.