Genesis 33:6
New International Version
Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down.

New Living Translation
Then the servant wives came forward with their children and bowed before him.

English Standard Version
Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down.

King James Bible
Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

New King James Version
Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down.

New American Standard Bible
Then the slave women came forward with their children, and they bowed down.

NASB 1995
Then the maids came near with their children, and they bowed down.

NASB 1977
Then the maids came near with their children, and they bowed down.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the servant-women came near with their children, and they bowed down.

Amplified Bible
Then the maids approached with their children, and they bowed down.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the slaves and their children approached him and bowed down.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the female slaves and their children approached him and bowed down.

American Standard Version
Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

Contemporary English Version
Then the two servant women and their children came and bowed down to Esau.

English Revised Version
Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the slaves and their children came forward and bowed down.

Good News Translation
Then the concubines came up with their children and bowed down;

International Standard Version
Then the women servants approached, accompanied by their children, and bowed low.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down.

NET Bible
The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down.

New Heart English Bible
Then the female servants came forward with their children, and they bowed themselves.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

World English Bible
Then the servants came near with their children, and they bowed themselves.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the maidservants draw near, they and their children, and bow themselves;

Young's Literal Translation
And the maid-servants draw nigh, they and their children, and bow themselves;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the maids will draw near, they and their children, and they will bow themselves.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed themselves.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the handmaids and their sons approached and bowed down.

New American Bible
Then the maidservants and their children came forward and bowed low;

New Revised Standard Version
Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And those Maidservants came near and their children and they bowed.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed down.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the maid-servants and their children drew near and did reverence.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Meets Esau
5When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down. 7Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.…

Cross References
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 31:17-18
Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels, / and he drove all his livestock before him, along with all the possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land in Canaan.

Genesis 29:31-35
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. / And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.” / Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon. ...

Genesis 35:23-26
The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. / The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. / The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali. ...

Genesis 46:8-27
Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. / The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. / The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ...

Exodus 1:1-5
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: / Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; / Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; ...

Deuteronomy 33:1-3
This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. / He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand. / Surely You love the people; all the holy ones are in Your hand, and they sit down at Your feet; each receives Your words—

1 Chronicles 2:1-2
These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, / Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Ruth 4:11
“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.

Matthew 19:13-15
Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them. / But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” / And after He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.

Mark 10:13-16
Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them. / But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. / Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ...

Luke 18:15-17
Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who brought them. / But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. / Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

John 4:12
Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?”

Acts 7:8-9
Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. / Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him


Treasury of Scripture

Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

Jump to Previous
Approached Bow Bowed Children Draw Drew Faces Handmaidens Handmaids Maids Maidservants Maid-Servants Nigh Servants Themselves
Jump to Next
Approached Bow Bowed Children Draw Drew Faces Handmaidens Handmaids Maids Maidservants Maid-Servants Nigh Servants Themselves
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.














Then
The word "then" serves as a transitional term, indicating a sequence of events. In the context of Genesis 33, it follows Jacob's encounter with Esau, setting the stage for the actions of his family. This moment is pivotal, as it marks the unfolding of reconciliation and the fulfillment of God's promises to Jacob. The Hebrew root for "then" is "אָז" (az), which often signifies a consequential moment, underscoring the importance of what follows in the narrative.

the maidservants
The term "maidservants" refers to Bilhah and Zilpah, the handmaids of Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel. In the ancient Near Eastern context, maidservants often held a dual role as both servants and secondary wives, bearing children who were considered legitimate heirs. This reflects the cultural norms of the time, where family structures were complex and often involved multiple wives and concubines. The Hebrew word "שִׁפְחָה" (shifchah) denotes a female servant, highlighting their subordinate yet integral role within the patriarchal family.

and their children
The phrase "and their children" emphasizes the inclusion of all members of Jacob's household in this significant event. The children of the maidservants, though not born of Jacob's primary wives, are acknowledged as part of his lineage. This inclusion speaks to the broader theme of God's covenant extending beyond traditional boundaries, as seen throughout the biblical narrative. The Hebrew term "יְלָדִים" (yeladim) for "children" underscores the importance of offspring in fulfilling God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

approached
The act of approaching signifies a deliberate movement towards Esau, indicating a gesture of submission and respect. In the ancient world, approaching someone of higher status required humility and often involved specific rituals. The Hebrew root "נָגַשׁ" (nagash) conveys the idea of drawing near, which in this context, symbolizes the willingness to reconcile and the hope for peace between estranged brothers.

and bowed down
Bowing down is a physical act of deference and respect, common in ancient Near Eastern cultures when meeting someone of higher status or seeking favor. This gesture by the maidservants and their children reflects the humility and reverence expected in the presence of Esau, who, despite past conflicts, is still regarded with honor. The Hebrew word "שָׁחָה" (shachah) for "bowed down" is often used in the context of worship or deep respect, highlighting the gravity of the moment and the desire for reconciliation.

Verses 6, 7. - Then (literally, and) the handmaidens came near, they and their children (since they occupied the front rank in the procession which followed Jacob), and they bowed themselves (after his example). And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. The remark of Lange, that the six-year old lad who comes before his mother seems to break through all the cumbrous ceremonial, and to rush confidently into the arms of his uncle, is as fanciful and far-fetched as that of Jarchi, that Joseph took precedence of his mother because he feared lest Esau, who was a homo profanus, should be fascinated by his mother's beauty, and seek to do her wrong; in which case he would try to hinder him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the maidservants
הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת (haš·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant

and their
הֵ֥נָּה (hên·nāh)
Pronoun - third person feminine plural
Strong's 2007: Themselves

children
וְיַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן (wə·yal·ḏê·hen)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 3206: Something born, a lad, offspring

approached
וַתִּגַּ֧שְׁןָ (wat·tig·gaš·nā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 5066: To draw near, approach

and bowed down.
וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽיןָ׃ (wat·tiš·ta·ḥă·we·nā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate


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OT Law: Genesis 33:6 Then the handmaids came near with their (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 33:5
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