But Esau ran to meet him: Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation render the common Hebrew connective as But, which is to mark in English the contrast between Jacob’s ceremonial submission and Esau’s friendly and informal response. Translators should try to have in mind the full picture of the movements and actions of the two brothers in verses 3-4, whether they need to put more detail into their translation or not. For instance, we may suppose that Jacob did not begin bowing until he was reasonably close to Esau; and we may suppose that Esau was walking ahead of his men, and began running toward Jacob before Jacob had finished making his seven bows. It also seems from this verse that it was Esau who came up to Jacob, rather than the other way round, to finally bring the two together.

Embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him: instead of attacking him, Esau surprises Jacob by his show of affection. For embraced and kissed see the case of Laban greeting Jacob in 29.13. Fell on his neck describes what Esau did after embracing Jacob: he threw his arms around Jacob’s neck and kissed him. In some cultures this greeting scene between two men may seem strange and repulsive. See the comment on 27.26. In some languages it will be adequate to say “he hugged him and kissed him” or “he put his arms around Jacob to show he accepted him, and then kissed his cheeks.” For kissed see 27.26.

And they wept: some translations change the text to “he wept.” However, the Hebrew text has the plural and is recommended to translators. Some translations say “they-two cried together.” It may strike readers in some languages as strange that these desert-hardened men should cry instead of dancing or shaking their spears. In such cases it may be helpful to give the purpose of their weeping, as Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch does, “Both cried for joy.” Although nothing is said about Jacob’s deception of many years before, that has been silently settled in the wordless reconciliation through the hugs and tears.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .