Genesis 33:6

33:6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. ¹ 

Genesis 33:2

33:2 He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. ² 

Genesis 33:1

Jacob Meets Esau

33:1 Jacob looked up ³  and saw that Esau was coming ⁴  along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants.

[33:6]  ¹ tn Heb “and the female servants drew near, they and their children and they bowed down.”

[33:2]  ² sn This kind of ranking according to favoritism no doubt fed the jealousy over Joseph that later becomes an important element in the narrative. It must have been painful to the family to see that they were expendable.

[33:1]  ³ tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”

[33:1]  ⁴ tn Or “and look, Esau was coming.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.