The Meaning of Genesis 33:4 Explained

Genesis 33:4

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

YLT: and Esau runneth to meet him, and embraceth him, and falleth on his neck, and kisseth him, and they weep;

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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?

Context Summary

Genesis 33:1-17 - Jacob And Esau Reconciled
Many things, like this meeting with Esau, are worse in anticipation than in actuality. The brothers were on the same old terms as before that filching of Isaac's blessing. The holy transactions of the previous night had induced this change in the atmosphere. If our ways please the Lord, He will make our enemies to be at peace with us. We must win power with God, by yielding to Him, before we can have power with our Esaus and prevail. When you fear man's wrath, do not run hither and thither for defense; be still and fear not. Commit your way to the Lord and read Psalms 37:1-40. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Surely Jacob needed not to fear, or make these lame excuses and promises. He never intended to go to Esau, to Seir. As soon as the last ranks of his brother's men were lost in the desert haze, he turned to go in the contrary direction. This duplicity was not worthy of the heir of the promises; but too many of us would have done the same, even on the morrow of the Jabbok-wrestle. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 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

What do the individual words in Genesis 33:4 mean?

But ran Esau to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept
וַיָּ֨רָץ עֵשָׂ֤ו לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַֽיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־ צַוָּארָ֖ו‪‬ וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄ‪‬ וַיִּבְכּֽוּ

וַיָּ֨רָץ  But  ran 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּץ 
Sense: to run.
עֵשָׂ֤ו  Esau 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשָׂו  
Sense: eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples.
לִקְרָאתוֹ֙  to  meet  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
וַֽיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּ  and  embraced  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: חָבַק  
Sense: to embrace, clasp.
וַיִּפֹּ֥ל  and  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
צַוָּארָ֖ו‪‬  his  neck 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צַוָּאר 
Sense: neck, back of neck.
וַׄיִּׄשָּׁׄקֵ֑ׄהׄוּׄ‪‬  and  kissed  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשַׁק 
Sense: to put together, kiss.
וַיִּבְכּֽוּ  and  they  wept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.