John Calvin Commentary Genesis 33:3

"And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother." — Genesis 33:3 (ASV)

And bowed himself to the ground seven times. Indeed, he might have done this to give honor: for we know that people in the East are accustomed to far more ceremonies than are common among us. To me, however, it seems more probable that Jacob did not pay this honor simply to his brother, but that he worshiped God, partly to give Him thanks and partly to implore Him to make his brother favorable; for he is said to have bowed down seven times before he approached his brother.

Therefore, before he came in sight of his brother, he had already given a sign of reverence or worship. From this, we may conjecture, as I have said, that this homage was paid to God and not to man; yet this does not conflict with the fact that he also approached as a supplicant, to assuage his brother’s ferocity by his humiliation. If anyone objects that in this manner he devalued his right of primogeniture, the answer is easy: the holy man, by the eyes of faith, was looking higher; for he knew that the effect of the blessing was deferred to its proper season and was, therefore, now like decaying seed under the earth.

Therefore, although he was stripped of his inheritance and lay contemptible at his brother’s feet, yet since he knew that his birthright was secured for him, he was content with this hidden right, counted honors and riches as nothing, and did not shrink from being regarded as an inferior in his brother's presence.