Genesis 32:3-21

Common English Bible

³Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau, toward the land of Seir, the open country of Edom. ⁴He gave them these orders: “Say this to my master Esau. This is the message of your servant Jacob: ‘I’ve lived as an immigrant with Laban, where I’ve stayed till now. ⁵I own cattle, donkeys, flocks, men servants, and women servants. I’m sending this message to my master now to ask that he^[a] be kind.’”

⁶The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went out to your brother Esau, and he’s coming to meet you with four hundred men.”

⁷Jacob was terrified and felt trapped, so he divided the people with him, and the flocks, cattle, and camels, into two camps. ⁸He thought, If Esau meets the first camp and attacks it, at least one camp will be left to escape.

⁹Jacob said, “Lord, God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I’ll make sure things go well for you,’ ¹⁰I don’t deserve how loyal and truthful you’ve been to your servant. I went away across the Jordan with just my staff, but now I’ve become two camps. ¹¹Save me from my brother Esau! I’m afraid he will come and kill me, the mothers, and their children. ¹²You were the one who told me, ‘I will make sure things go well for you, and I will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, so many you won’t be able to count them.’”

¹³Jacob spent that night there. From what he had acquired, he set aside a gift for his brother Esau: ¹⁴two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, ¹⁵thirty nursing camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. ¹⁶He separated these herds and gave them to his servants. He said to them, “Go ahead of me and put some distance between each of the herds.” ¹⁷He ordered the first group, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘Who are you with? Where are you going? And whose herds are these in front of you?’ ¹⁸say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s, a gift sent to my master Esau. And Jacob is actually right behind us.’” ¹⁹He also ordered the second group, the third group, and everybody following the herds, “Say exactly the same thing to Esau when you find him. ²⁰Say also, ‘Your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” Jacob thought, I may be able to pacify Esau with the gift I’m sending ahead. When I meet him, perhaps he will be kind to me. ²¹So Jacob sent the gift ahead of him, but he spent that night in the camp.

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Footnotes

Genesis 32:5 Or you

Genesis 32:3-21

New International Version

³Jacob sent messengers^(A) ahead of him to his brother Esau^(B) in the land of Seir,^(C) the country of Edom.^(D) ⁴He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord^(E) Esau: ‘Your servant^(F) Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban^(G) and have remained there till now. ⁵I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants.^(H) Now I am sending this message to my lord,^(I) that I may find favor in your eyes.^(J)’”

⁶When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”^(K)

⁷In great fear^(L) and distress^(M) Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups,^[a]^(N) and the flocks and herds and camels as well. ⁸He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group,^[b] the group^[c] that is left may escape.”

⁹Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham,^(O) God of my father Isaac,^(P) Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’^(Q) ¹⁰I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness^(R) you have shown your servant. I had only my staff^(S) when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.^(T) ¹¹Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid^(U) he will come and attack me,^(V) and also the mothers with their children.^(W) ¹²But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand^(X) of the sea, which cannot be counted.^(Y)’”

¹³He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift^(Z) for his brother Esau: ¹⁴two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,^(AA) ¹⁵thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.^(AB) ¹⁶He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.”^(AC)

¹⁷He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ ¹⁸then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant^(AD) Jacob. They are a gift^(AE) sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’”

¹⁹He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ²⁰And be sure to say, ‘Your servant^(AF) Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts^(AG) I am sending on ahead;^(AH) later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.”^(AI) ²¹So Jacob’s gifts^(AJ) went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.