GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 33 (Gen 33:1) And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. He put the children in order under their mothers, starting with the handmaids and on through to Rachel. He saw Esau coming. Such a sight would be terrifying. Yet he had just come from his greatest encounter with God. That should have sustained him. He should now have been able to face his brother with a new revelation in his heart, “I have prevailed with God, and therefore I can prevail with men.” But we usually have a hard time making practical our spiritual experiences. Elijah had seen victory on Mount Carmel, but when Jezebel threatens it unnerved him. (Gen 33:2) And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. Jacob put forth Bilhah with Dan and Naphtai first; followed by Zilpah with Gad and Asher; Leah followed the handmaids with Reuben first, then Simeon and Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. Finally Joseph, and last of all Rachel (Gen_33:7), for she was the closest one in the group to his heart. All of these were in order of importance to him, from least to most. He made no bones about which of these were his favorites. (Gen 33:3) And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. He put himself out in front of his family so that if there would have to be a fight, he would be the one to handle it. His fear caused him to over-do it. Bowing would be the proper way to meet someone, but seven times was excessive and besides it would cause the opposite response from what he wanted from Esau.
Aalders apparently gave the correct analysis of this meeting, writing that, "Esau's hostility had vanished; that 'army' of four
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