Genesis 33 · Verse 4

Genesis 33:4

And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
Genesis 33:4, King James Version

Genesis 33:4 in other translations

BSBEsau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
WEBEsau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
ASVAnd Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
YLTand Esau runneth to meet him, and embraceth him, and falleth on his neck, and kisseth him, and they weep;
DARBYAnd Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.
BBEThen Esau came running up to him, and folding him in his arms, gave him a kiss: and the two of them were overcome with weeping.
WebsterAnd Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

What does Genesis 33:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. Esau ran to meet him--What a sudden and surprising change! Whether the sight of the princely present and the profound homage of Jacob had produced this effect, or it proceeded from the impulsive character of Esau, the cherished enmity of twenty years in a moment disappeared; the weapons of war were laid aside, and the warmest tokens of mutual affection reciprocated between the brothers. But doubtless, the efficient cause was the secret, subduing influence of grace (Pr 21:1), which converted Esau from an enemy into a friend.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Esau ran to meet him - How sincere and genuine is this conduct of Esau, and at the same time how magnanimous! He had buried all his resentment, and forgotten all his injuries; and receives his brother with the strongest demonstrations, not only of forgiveness, but of fraternal affection. And kissed him - וישקהו vaiyishshakehu. In the Masoretic Bibles each letter of this word is noted with a point over it to make it emphatic. And by this kind of notation the rabbins wished to draw the attention of the reader to the change that had taken place in Esau, and the sincerity with which he received his brother Jacob. A Hindoo when he meets a friend after absence throws his arms round him, and his head across his shoulders, twice over the right shoulder and once over the left, with other ceremonies according to the rank of the parties.

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 33:4 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.

וַיָּ֨רָץvai.Ya.rotzand he ranH7323
עֵשָׂ֤ו'e.SavEsauH6215
לִקְרָאתוֹ֙lik.ra.Toto meet himH7122
וַֽיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּvay.cha.be.Ke.huand he embraced himH2263
וַיִּפֹּ֥לvai.yi.Poland he fellH5307
עַל\־'al-onH5921
צַוָּארָ֖יוtza.va.Ravneck hisH6677
וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄvai.yi.sha.Ke.huand he kissed himH5401
וַיִּבְכּֽוּ\׃vai.yiv.Kuand they weptH1058

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

Cross references for Genesis 33:4

  • Genesis 45:14-15

    And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

  • Psalms 34:4

    I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

  • Luke 15:20

    And 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.

  • Genesis 32:28

    And 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.

  • Genesis 45:2

    And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

  • Genesis 46:29

    And 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 20:37

    And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,

  • Proverbs 16:7

    When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

  • Nehemiah 1:11

    O 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.

  • Genesis 43:30

    And 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.

  • Job 2:12

    And 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.

  • Proverbs 21:1

    The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
embraced.
32:28; 43:30,34; 45:2,15; Job 2:12; Ne 1:11; Ps 34:4; Pr 16:7; 21:1
fell on.
45:14,15; 46:29; Lu 15:20; Ac 20:37

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

Context

  • Genesis 33:3

    And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

  • Genesis 33:4

    And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

  • Genesis 33:5

    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.

Read all of Genesis 33

Genesis 33:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Esaú corrió á su encuentro, y abrazóle, y echóse sobre su cuello, y le besó; y lloraron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Ésaü courut à sa rencontre, et l’embrassa, et se jeta à son cou, et lui donna un baiser; et ils pleurèrent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Esau lief ihm entgegen und umarmte ihn und fiel ihm um den Hals und küßte ihn; und sie weinten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Currens itaque Esau obviam fratri suo, amplexatus est eum: stringensque collum ejus, et osculans flevit.