Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. New Living Translation He put the servant wives and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. English Standard Version And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. Berean Standard Bible He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. King James Bible And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. New King James Version And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. New American Standard Bible He put the slave women and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. NASB 1995 He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. NASB 1977 And he put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. Legacy Standard Bible And he put the servant-women and their children first, and Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph after them. Amplified Bible He put the maids and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. Christian Standard Bible He put the slaves and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. Holman Christian Standard Bible He put the female slaves and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. American Standard Version And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. Contemporary English Version The two servant women, Zilpah and Bilhah, together with their children went first, followed by Leah and her children, then by Rachel and Joseph. English Revised Version And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. GOD'S WORD® Translation He put the slaves and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph last. Good News Translation He put the concubines and their children first, then Leah and her children, and finally Rachel and Joseph at the rear. International Standard Version Then he positioned the women servants and their children first, then Leah and her children next, and then Rachel and Joseph after them. Majority Standard Bible He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. NET Bible He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. New Heart English Bible He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph last. Webster's Bible Translation And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. World English Bible He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand he sets the maidservants and their children first, and Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Young's Literal Translation and he setteth the maid-servants and their children first, and Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Smith's Literal Translation And he set the maids and their children first, and Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he put both the handmaids and their children foremost: and Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel and Joseph last. Catholic Public Domain Version And he placed the two handmaids and their children at the beginning. Truly, Leah and her sons were in the second place. Then Rachel and Joseph were last. New American Bible putting the maidservants and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. New Revised Standard Version He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen he brought the maids and their children to the front, and Leah and her children next, and kept Rachel and Joseph in the rear. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he made the Maidservants and their children first and Leah and her children after them and Rakhyl and Yoseph last. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. Brenton Septuagint Translation And he put the two handmaidens and their children with the first, and Lea and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jacob Meets Esau1Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. 3But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.… Cross References Genesis 32:7-8 In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels. / He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one camp, then the other camp can escape.” Genesis 32:11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me and the mothers and children with me. Genesis 32:13-15 Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau: / 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, / 30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. Genesis 32:22-23 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. / He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions. Genesis 30:1-2 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. / Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?” Genesis 31:17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels, Genesis 31:55 Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home. Genesis 35:1-3 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” / So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments. / Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” Exodus 14:19-20 And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them, / so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other. Exodus 13:21-22 And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night. / Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people. 1 Samuel 25:13 And David said to his men, “Strap on your swords!” So David and all his men strapped on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies. 2 Samuel 18:2 He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.” 2 Kings 4:29 So Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment, take my staff in your hand, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my staff on the boy’s face.” Matthew 10:16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Treasury of Scripture And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph last. Rachel. 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. Genesis 30:22-24 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb… 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. Jump to Previous Children First Foremost Front Handmaids Hindermost Hindmost Joseph Leah Maids Maidservants Maid-Servants Rachel Rear ServantsJump to Next Children First Foremost Front Handmaids Hindermost Hindmost Joseph Leah Maids Maidservants Maid-Servants Rachel Rear ServantsGenesis 33 1. Jacob and Esau's meeting; and Esau's departure.17. Jacob comes to Succoth. 18. At Shechem he buys a field, and builds an altar, called El Elohe Israel. He put the maidservants and their children in front In this passage, Jacob arranges his family in a specific order as he prepares to meet his brother Esau. The maidservants, Bilhah and Zilpah, and their children are placed at the front. This arrangement reflects the social hierarchy and familial dynamics of the time, where maidservants and their offspring held a lower status compared to the wives and their children. This positioning may also indicate Jacob's protective instincts, as he places those he perceives as less vulnerable or less favored in the more exposed position. This act can be seen as a strategic move, possibly to gauge Esau's reaction before exposing his more beloved family members. Leah and her children next and Rachel and Joseph at the rear Persons / Places / Events 1. JacobThe patriarch who is returning to meet his brother Esau after many years. He is strategically arranging his family as he prepares for this potentially dangerous encounter. 2. Maidservants These are Bilhah and Zilpah, the maidservants of Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel, who also bore children for Jacob. 3. Leah Jacob's first wife, whom he was tricked into marrying. She is placed in the middle of the procession with her children. 4. Rachel Jacob's beloved wife, whom he worked fourteen years to marry. She is placed at the rear with her son Joseph, indicating her special status in Jacob's eyes. 5. Joseph The son of Jacob and Rachel, who is given a place of protection at the rear, foreshadowing his future significance in the family and in God's plan. Teaching Points Family Dynamics and FavoritismJacob's arrangement of his family reveals the favoritism that can lead to family strife. Believers are encouraged to reflect on how favoritism can affect relationships and to strive for fairness and love in family settings. Trust in God's Protection Despite Jacob's strategic planning, the ultimate protection comes from God. This teaches us to balance prudence with faith, trusting God to protect and guide us in challenging situations. God's Sovereign Plan The placement of Joseph at the rear, though seemingly a minor detail, foreshadows his future role in God's plan. This reminds us that God is at work in the details of our lives, often in ways we cannot immediately see. Reconciliation and Courage Jacob's approach to Esau demonstrates a mix of fear and courage. Believers are encouraged to seek reconciliation with others, trusting God to work in the hearts of those involved. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew He putוַיָּ֧שֶׂם (way·yā·śem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set the maidservants הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת (haš·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant and their וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-) Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case children יַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן (yal·ḏê·hen) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural Strong's 3206: Something born, a lad, offspring in front, רִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה (ri·šō·nāh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank Leah לֵאָ֤ה (lê·’āh) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3812: Leah -- 'weary', a wife of Jacob and her children וִֽילָדֶ֙יהָ֙ (wî·lā·ḏe·hā) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 3206: Something born, a lad, offspring next, אַחֲרֹנִ֔ים (’a·ḥă·rō·nîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 314: Hinder, late, last, western and Rachel רָחֵ֥ל (rā·ḥêl) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 7354: Rachel -- a wife of Jacob and Joseph יוֹסֵ֖ף (yō·w·sêp̄) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites at the rear. אַחֲרֹנִֽים׃ (’a·ḥă·rō·nîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 314: Hinder, late, last, western Links Genesis 33:2 NIVGenesis 33:2 NLT Genesis 33:2 ESV Genesis 33:2 NASB Genesis 33:2 KJV Genesis 33:2 BibleApps.com Genesis 33:2 Biblia Paralela Genesis 33:2 Chinese Bible Genesis 33:2 French Bible Genesis 33:2 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 33:2 He put the handmaids and their children (Gen. Ge Gn) |
    |