Gen 33:4 | KingComments | STEP | Jacob is still afraid of Esau. He calls himself “your servant” ( ) and Esau he calls “my lord” ( ). There is no question of any sense of dignity given to him by God. He did not behave accordingly. Because of his earlier sneaky behavior, he is now without strength. Yet in what he says there is a hint that he counts with God. Thus he speaks of his children as given to him by “God in His grace” (cf. ). That is a different language than we hear today, when people talk about ‘taking’ a child. The cordiality of Esau ( ) is an example, but let us not forget that it is the cordiality of the world . Esau never asked about God, and Scripture calls him “a godless person” ( ). Esau says he has “plenty” ( ). Jacob says that by the grace of God he has “all” ( ), although he had to work hard for it. He testifies that the truth of the word that Moses later speaks to Israel lives for him: “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth” ( ). Jacob speaks here the language of faith, which says that he who has God has all. This language of faith we do not hear in , when he compares the face of Esau to the face of God. And he has just seen, at the Jabbok, the face of God (Penuel). By saying this to Esau, he gives, as it were, God’s honor to a man and still a godless man. As if Esau had turned everything around for the better. However, it is also possible that Jacob, in the way Esau greets him, recognizes the good hand of God and gives Him the honor for this change in Esau’s mind.

‏ Genesis 33:4

Jacob Meets Esau

Jacob is still afraid of Esau. He calls himself “your servant” (Gen 33:5) and Esau he calls “my lord” (Gen 33:8). There is no question of any sense of dignity given to him by God. He did not behave accordingly. Because of his earlier sneaky behavior, he is now without strength.

Yet in what he says there is a hint that he counts with God. Thus he speaks of his children as given to him by “God in His grace” (cf. Psa 127:3). That is a different language than we hear today, when people talk about ‘taking’ a child.

The cordiality of Esau (Gen 33:4) is an example, but let us not forget that it is the cordiality of the world. Esau never asked about God, and Scripture calls him “a godless person” (Heb 12:16). Esau says he has “plenty” (Gen 33:9). Jacob says that by the grace of God he has “all” (Gen 33:11), although he had to work hard for it. He testifies that the truth of the word that Moses later speaks to Israel lives for him: “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth” (Deu 8:18a). Jacob speaks here the language of faith, which says that he who has God has all.

This language of faith we do not hear in Gen 33:10, when he compares the face of Esau to the face of God. And he has just seen, at the Jabbok, the face of God (Penuel). By saying this to Esau, he gives, as it were, God’s honor to a man and still a godless man. As if Esau had turned everything around for the better. However, it is also possible that Jacob, in the way Esau greets him, recognizes the good hand of God and gives Him the honor for this change in Esau’s mind.