What Does Genesis 33:5 Mean in the King James?
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.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The children beside Jacob are named by one Hebrew verb of favor: their presence is favor made visible.
THE MEANING
The life gathered around you appears here as something received, not something you create or own by yourself. Jacob names the children as God’s favor toward him, so their presence becomes a gift he can recognize.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that what fills your life is entirely self-made or owed to you; the verse names it as favor received.
THE ROOT
חָנַן
chanan
GROWS FROM
חנן
To show favor; to be gracious.
The Hebrew phrase uses one favor-verb where English says “graciously given.” The children are described as received within God’s favor, and the noun branch חֵן (chen) names that same favor as a quality. The verse presents favor not as an abstract feeling but as something visible in the life around Jacob.
ALSO GROWS
chen: Favor.
חֵן
This noun names the favor held within the verb describing God’s action toward Jacob.
chanun: Gracious; showing favor.
חַנּוּן
This related form describes the character expressed through the favor Jacob recognizes in the children.
THE PATTERN
Life received from God is recognized as favor rather than self-originated possession.
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.THE THREAD
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.The same Hebrew verb חנן (chanan), “show favor,” appears when God says, “I will be gracious.” Jacob’s answer reads the children with him through this same root: their presence is an instance of the favor God names as God’s own action.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
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