Genesis 33:8
New International Version
Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?” “To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” he said.

New Living Translation
“And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?” Esau asked. Jacob replied, “They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship.”

English Standard Version
Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Berean Standard Bible
“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.”

New American Standard Bible
And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

NASB 1995
And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

NASB 1977
And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, “What do you mean by all these camps which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Amplified Bible
Esau asked, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he answered, “[These are] to find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Christian Standard Bible
So Esau said, “What do you mean by this whole procession I met? ” “To find favor with you, my lord,” he answered.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Esau said, “What do you mean by this whole procession I met?"” To find favor with you, my lord,” he answered.”

American Standard Version
And he said, What meanest thou by all this company which I met? And he said, To find favor in the sight of my lord.

Contemporary English Version
Esau asked Jacob, "Why did you send those herds I met along the road?" "Master," Jacob answered, "I sent them so you would be friendly to me."

English Revised Version
And he said, What meanest thou by all this company which I met? And he said, To find grace in the sight of my lord.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Esau asked, "Why did you send this whole group [of people and animals] I met?" He answered, "To win your favor, sir."

Good News Translation
Esau asked, "What about that other group I met? What did that mean?" Jacob answered, "It was to gain your favor."

International Standard Version
Then Esau asked, "What are all these livestock for?" "To solicit favor from you, sir," Jacob answered.

Majority Standard Bible
“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.

NET Bible
Esau then asked, "What did you intend by sending all these herds to meet me?" Jacob replied, "To find favor in your sight, my lord."

New Heart English Bible
Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" Jacob said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says, “What to you [is] all this camp which I have met?” And he says, “To find grace in the eyes of my lord.”

Young's Literal Translation
And 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.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, What to thee all this camp which I met? and he will say, To find grace in thine eyes, my lord.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favor before my lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Esau said, “What are these companies that I have been meeting?” He responded, “So may I find favor before my lord.”

New American Bible
Then Esau asked, “What did you intend with all those herds that I encountered?” Jacob answered, “It was to gain my lord’s favor.”

New Revised Standard Version
Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor with my lord.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Esau said to Jacob, Where did you get all this company which I met? And Jacob said to him, Because I have found favor in the sight of my lord.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Esau said, “From where do you have all this camp that met me?”, and Yaquuv said to him, “Because I have found favor in the eyes of my Lord.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: 'What meanest thou by all this camp which I met?' And he said: 'To find favour in the sight of my lord.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said, What are these things to thee, all these companies that I have met? And he said, That thy servant might find grace in thy sight, my lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Meets Esau
7Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down. 8“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered. 9“I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”…

Cross References
Genesis 32:13-21
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 18:3-5
“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. / Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. / And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”

Genesis 43:11
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

Genesis 23:11
“No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

Genesis 42:6
Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

Genesis 45:22-23
He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. / And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey.

1 Samuel 25:27
Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you.

2 Samuel 16:1-2
When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. / “Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

2 Kings 5:15-16
Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” / But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.

Proverbs 18:16
A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.

Proverbs 21:14
A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.

Matthew 5:23-24
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, / leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 18:15
If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

Luke 14:12-14
Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid. / But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, / and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 19:8
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”


Treasury of Scripture

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

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; …

to find.

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.

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.

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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 you mean
This phrase reflects Esau's curiosity and perhaps confusion about the intentions behind Jacob's actions. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "מַה־לְּךָ" (mah-lekha), which can be translated as "What is this to you?" It suggests a direct and personal inquiry, indicating Esau's genuine interest in understanding Jacob's motives. This moment is pivotal as it sets the stage for reconciliation, showing Esau's openness to dialogue despite their past conflicts.

by this whole procession
The "procession" refers to the gifts and people Jacob sent ahead to Esau. In Hebrew, the word "מַחֲנֶה" (machaneh) is used, meaning "camp" or "company." This term is significant as it denotes not just a group of people but an organized assembly, reflecting Jacob's strategic planning and desire to appease Esau. Historically, such processions were common in ancient Near Eastern cultures as a means of showing respect or seeking favor, underscoring Jacob's intent to reconcile and honor his brother.

I met?
The encounter between Esau and the procession is crucial. The Hebrew root "פָּגַע" (paga) implies a meeting or coming upon something unexpectedly. This word choice highlights the surprise element in Esau's encounter with the gifts, suggesting that Jacob's gesture was both unexpected and significant. It emphasizes the theme of divine providence and the unfolding of God's plan in the reconciliation of the brothers.

Esau asked
Esau's inquiry is direct and personal. The Hebrew verb "שָׁאַל" (sha'al) means "to ask" or "to inquire," indicating Esau's active engagement in the situation. This moment is a testament to Esau's character, showing his willingness to communicate and understand rather than react with hostility. It reflects a softened heart, possibly influenced by God's work in his life, preparing the way for reconciliation.

To find favor
Jacob's response reveals his intention. The Hebrew phrase "לִמְצֹא־חֵן" (limtso chen) translates to "to find grace" or "to find favor." This expression is often used in the context of seeking mercy or goodwill, highlighting Jacob's humility and desire for peace. It underscores the biblical principle of seeking reconciliation and grace, aligning with the broader scriptural theme of forgiveness and restoration.

in your eyes
The phrase "in your eyes" is a Hebrew idiom "בְּעֵינֶיךָ" (be'eynekha), meaning "in your sight" or "in your judgment." It emphasizes the personal nature of Jacob's appeal to Esau, seeking his personal approval and acceptance. This reflects the importance of personal relationships and the need for reconciliation on an individual level, resonating with the biblical call to live at peace with others.

my lord
Jacob's use of "my lord" (אֲדֹנִי, adoni) is a term of respect and submission. It signifies Jacob's acknowledgment of Esau's position and authority, despite the birthright and blessing Jacob received. This term reflects a cultural and historical context where such titles were used to show deference and honor, illustrating Jacob's changed heart and his willingness to humble himself before his brother.

Jacob replied
Jacob's reply is a culmination of his journey of transformation. The Hebrew verb "וַיֹּאמֶר" (vayomer) means "and he said," indicating a deliberate and thoughtful response. Jacob's words are not just a reply but a reflection of his repentance and desire for reconciliation. This moment is a powerful testament to the work of God in Jacob's life, transforming him from a deceiver to a man seeking peace and restoration with his brother.

(8) What meanest thou by all this drove . . .? Heb., What is all this camp of thine that I met? From the time of Jacob's coming to Mahanaim, the word mahaneh, "camp," is used in a very remarkable way. It is the word translated bands in Genesis 32:7, and company in Genesis 32:8; Genesis 32:21. It is the proper word for an encampment of pastoral people with their flocks, and might be used not unnaturally of the five droves; for they would remind Esau of the cattle driven in at evening to the place where they were to pass the night.

Verse 8. - And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove - literally, What to thee all this camp (Mahaneh) - which I met? - i.e. yesterday, referring to the droves which had been sent on by Jacob as a present to my lord Esau (Genesis 32:16). And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord (vide Genesis 32:5).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“What
מִ֥י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

do you mean by sending this
הַזֶּ֖ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

whole
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

company
הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

to meet me?”
פָּגָ֑שְׁתִּי (pā·ḡā·šə·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6298: To come in contact with, to concur

asked Esau.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“To find
לִמְצֹא־ (lim·ṣō-)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

favor
חֵ֖ן (ḥên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2580: Graciousness, subjective, objective

in your sight,
בְּעֵינֵ֥י (bə·‘ê·nê)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

my lord,”
אֲדֹנִֽי׃ (’ă·ḏō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

[Jacob] answered.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT Law: Genesis 33:8 Esau said What do you mean (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 33:7
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