Then Jacob (A)sent messengers ahead of himself to his brother Esau in the land of (B)Seir, the [a]country of (C)Edom. He commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says the following: “I have resided with Laban, and (D)stayed until now; and (E)I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent messengers to tell my lord, (F)so that I may find favor in your sight.”’”

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

Then Jacob said, “(I)God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, Lord, who said to me, ‘(J)Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will [c]make you prosper,’ 10 [d]I am unworthy (K)of all the [e]favor and of all the [f]faithfulness, which You have shown to Your servant; for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. 11 (L)Save me, please, (M)from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and [g]attack me and the (N)mothers with the children.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 32:3 Lit field
  2. Genesis 32:8 Lit strikes
  3. Genesis 32:9 Lit do good with you
  4. Genesis 32:10 Lit I am less than all
  5. Genesis 32:10 I.e., generosity
  6. Genesis 32:10 Or truth
  7. Genesis 32:11 Lit strike

And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they (A)hated him and could not speak to him [a]on friendly terms.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 37:4 Lit in peace

Then his brothers said to him, “(A)Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

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