Genesis 33 · Verse 8

Genesis 33:8

And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
Genesis 33:8, King James Version

Genesis 33:8 in other translations

BSB“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.
WEBEsau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
ASVAnd he said, What meanest thou by all this company which I met? And he said, To find favor in the sight of my lord.
YLTAnd he saith, ‘What to thee is all this camp which I have met?' and he saith, ‘To find grace in the eyes of my lord.'
DARBYAnd he said, What meanest thou by all the drove which I met? And he said, To find favour in the eyes of my lord.
BBEAnd he said, What were all those herds which I saw on the way? And Jacob said, They were an offering so that I might have grace in my lord's eyes.
WebsterAnd he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, these are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

What does Genesis 33:8 mean?

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 33:8 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.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
מִ֥יmiwho?H4310
לְךָ֛le.Khato <the> you
כָּל\־kol-[is] allH3605
הַמַּחֲנֶ֥הha.ma.cha.Nehthe campH4264
הַזֶּ֖הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
פָּגָ֑שְׁתִּיpa.Ga.she.tiI have metH6298
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לִמְצֹא\־lim.tzo'-to findH4672
חֵ֖ןchenfavorH2580
בְּעֵינֵ֥יbe.'ei.Neiin [the] eyes ofH5869
אֲדֹנִֽי\׃'a.do.Nilord myH113

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

Cross references for Genesis 33:8

  • Genesis 32:5

    And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

  • Genesis 39:5

    And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

  • Genesis 32:13-20

    And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. …

  • Esther 2:17

    And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What meanest thou by all this drove? Heb. What is all thisband to thee?
32:13-20
to find.
32:5; 39:5; Es 2:17

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

Context

  • Genesis 33:7

    And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

  • Genesis 33:8

    And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

  • Genesis 33:9

    And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

Read all of Genesis 33

Genesis 33:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y él dijo: ¿Qué te propones con todas estas cuadrillas que he encontrado? Y él respondió: El hallar gracia en los ojos de mi señor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il dit: Que veux-tu avec tout ce camp que j’ai rencontré? Et il dit: C’est pour trouver grâce aux yeux de mon seigneur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er sprach: Was willst du mit diesem ganzen Zug, dem ich begegnet bin? Und er sprach: Um Gnade zu finden in den Augen meines Herrn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixitque Esau: Quænam sunt istæ turmæ quas obviam habui? Respondit: Ut invenirem gratiam coram domino meo.