Genesis 32:3-13

New King James Version

³Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother ^(A)in the land of Seir, ^(B)the ^[a]country of Edom. ⁴And he commanded them, saying, ^(C)“Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. ⁵^(D)I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that ^(E)I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ”

⁶Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and ^(F)he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” ⁷So Jacob was greatly afraid and ^(G)distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. ⁸And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and ^[b]attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.”

⁹^(H)Then Jacob said, ^(I)“O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord ^(J)who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: ¹⁰I am not worthy of the least of all the ^(K)mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with ^(L)my staff, and now I have become two companies. ¹¹^(M)Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and ^[c]attack me and ^(N)the mother with the children. ¹²For ^(O)You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the ^(P)sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”

¹³So he lodged there that same night, and took what ^[d]came to his hand as ^(Q)a present for Esau his brother:

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Footnotes

Genesis 32:3 Lit. field
Genesis 32:8 Lit. strikes
Genesis 32:11 Lit. strike
Genesis 32:13 he had received

Genesis 32:3-13

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)’”