Genesis 33:5

When 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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Esau addresses Jacob following their physical embrace and shared weeping, asking about the group of women and children approaching him. Jacob responds directly to his brother’s inquiry regarding the identity of those accompanying him.

The words — The Hebrew records וַ/יִּשָּׂ֣א (va/i.yi.Sa') meaning "and he lifted up" and עֵינָ֗י/ו ('ei.Na/v) meaning "his eyes," denoting Esau’s physical act of looking. It also specifies הַ/יְלָדִ֔ים (ha/y.la.Dim) as "the children," identifying the exact group in question.

The thread — The verse’s depiction of children as divine provision aligns with Psalm 127:3, which calls offspring a heritage from the LORD, and Isaiah 8:18, which frames children as signs given by God. Jacob’s attribution of his family to God’s gift directly parallels his later statement in Genesis 48:9 regarding the sons God gave him.

Why it lands — The text explicitly states Jacob identified his family as children graciously given by God, without adding human justification. It requires the reader to recognize that the arrangement of his household operates under divine agency rather than personal strategy.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּשָּׂ֣אva/i.yi.Sa'and/ he lifted up אֶת־'et-<obj.>עֵינָ֗יו'ei.Na/veyes/ his וַיַּ֤רְאva/i.Yar'and/ he saw אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַנָּשִׁים֙ha./na.Shimthe/ women וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַיְלָדִ֔יםha/y.la.Dimthe/ children וַיֹּ֖אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said מִי־mi-who?אֵ֣לֶּה'E.leh[are] theseלָּ֑ךְLa/khto <the>/ youוַיֹּאמַ֕רva/i.yo.Marand/ he said הַיְלָדִ֕יםha/y.la.Dimthe/ children אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-whom חָנַ֥ןcha.Nanhe has shown favor to אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimGod אֶת־'et-<obj.>עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃'av.De./khaservant/ your

King James Version

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

Cross-references

Psalms 127:3 Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
Isaiah 8:18 Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
Genesis 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”
Genesis 30:2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
Ruth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And when he had relations with her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
1 Samuel 1:27 I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him,
1 Chronicles 28:5 And of all my sons—for the LORD has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
Hebrews 2:13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And once again: “Here am I, and the children God has given Me.”