Genesis 32
Revised Geneva Translation
32 Now Jacob went forth on his journey, and the angels of God met him.
2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s army.” And he called the name of the same place, Mahanaim.
3 Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, into the country of Edom.
4 To whom he gave commandment, saying, “You shall speak to my lord, Esau, like this: ‘Your servant Jacob says this, “I have been a stranger with Laban and remained until this time.
5 “I have cattle also and asses, sheep, and men servants, and women servants; and I have sent to show my lord, so that I may find grace in your sight.”’”
6 So, the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother, Esau; and he also comes against you, and four hundred men with him.”
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid, and was very troubled, and divided the people that were with him, and the sheep, and the cattle, and the camels into two companies.
8 For he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and strikes it, the other company shall escape.”
9 Moreover, Jacob said, “O God of my father, Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac, Lord, Who said to me, ‘Return to your country, and to your kindred, and I will do you good’,
10 “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and all the Truth, which You have shown to Your servant. For with my staff, I came over this Jordan; and now I have become two camps.
11 “Please, deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau. For I fear him, lest he come and strike me and the mother with children.
12 “For You said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”
13 And he stayed there that same night and took what he received as a present for Esau, his brother:
14 Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
15 thirty milch camels (with their colts), forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.
16 So he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every flock by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass before me and put a space between each flock.”
17 And he commanded the first, saying, “If my brother, Esau, meets you, and asks you, saying, ‘Whose servant are you? And where are you going? And whose are these before you?’
18 “Then you shall say, ‘They are your servant, Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. And behold, he himself also is behind us.’”
19 So, likewise, he commanded the second and the third, and all that followed the flocks, saying, “After this manner you shall speak to Esau, when you find him.
20 “And you shall say, moreover, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob comes after us.’ For he thought, “I will appease his wrath with the present that goes before me; and afterward, I will see his face. It may be that he will accept me.”
21 So they went, with the present, before him. But he remained that night with the company.
22 And he rose up the same night and took his two wives, and his two maids, and his eleven children, and went over the ford, Jabbok.
23 And he took them, and sent them over the river, and sent over what he had.
24 Now, when Jacob was left by himself, a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
25 And he saw that he could not prevail against him. Therefore, the man touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, “Let me go, for the morning appears.” Who answered, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 Then he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
28 And he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel. Because you have had power with God, you shall also prevail with men.”
29 And Jacob demanded, saying, “Please tell me Your Name.” And he said, “Why do you ask My Name now?” And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place, Peniel. “For,” he said, “I have seen God face to face; and my life is preserved.”
31 And the Sun rose up to him as he passed Peniel; and he limped upon his thigh.
32 Therefore, the children of Israel do not eat from the tendon in the hollow of the thigh until this day, because He touched the tendon in the hollow of Jacob’s thigh.
Genesis 32
Common English Bible
Jacob prepares to meet Esau
32 Jacob went on his way, and God’s messengers approached him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp,” and he named that sacred place Mahanaim.[a] 3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau, toward the land of Seir, the open country of Edom. 4 He 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. 5 I own cattle, donkeys, flocks, men servants, and women servants. I’m sending this message to my master now to ask that he[b] be kind.’”
6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went out to your brother Esau, and he’s coming to meet you with four hundred men.”
7 Jacob was terrified and felt trapped, so he divided the people with him, and the flocks, cattle, and camels, into two camps. 8 He thought, If Esau meets the first camp and attacks it, at least one camp will be left to escape.
9 Jacob 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,’ 10 I 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. 11 Save me from my brother Esau! I’m afraid he will come and kill me, the mothers, and their children. 12 You 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.’”
13 Jacob spent that night there. From what he had acquired, he set aside a gift for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty nursing camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 He 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.” 17 He 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?’ 18 say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s, a gift sent to my master Esau. And Jacob is actually right behind us.’” 19 He also ordered the second group, the third group, and everybody following the herds, “Say exactly the same thing to Esau when you find him. 20 Say 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. 21 So Jacob sent the gift ahead of him, but he spent that night in the camp.
Jacob wrestles with God
22 Jacob got up during the night, took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the Jabbok River’s shallow water. 23 He took them and everything that belonged to him, and he helped them cross the river. 24 But Jacob stayed apart by himself, and a man wrestled with him until dawn broke. 25 When the man saw that he couldn’t defeat Jacob, he grabbed Jacob’s thigh and tore a muscle in Jacob’s thigh as he wrestled with him. 26 The man said, “Let me go because the dawn is breaking.”
But Jacob said, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.”
27 He said to Jacob, “What’s your name?” and he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name won’t be Jacob any longer, but Israel,[c] because you struggled with God and with men and won.”
29 Jacob also asked and said, “Tell me your name.”
But he said, “Why do you ask for my name?” and he blessed Jacob there. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel,[d] “because I’ve seen God face-to-face, and my life has been saved.” 31 The sun rose as Jacob passed Penuel, limping because of his thigh. 32 Therefore, Israelites don’t eat the tendon attached to the thigh muscle to this day, because he grabbed Jacob’s thigh muscle at the tendon.
Footnotes
- Genesis 32:2 Or two camps
- Genesis 32:5 Or you
- Genesis 32:28 Or God struggles or one who struggles with God
- Genesis 32:30 Or face of God
Genesis 32
New King James Version
Esau Comes to Meet Jacob
32 So Jacob went on his way, and (A)the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s (B)camp.” And he called the name of that place [a]Mahanaim.
3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother (C)in the land of Seir, (D)the [b]country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, (E)“Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. 5 (F)I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that (G)I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ”
6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and (H)he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” 7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and (I)distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. 8 And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and [c]attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.”
9 (J)Then Jacob said, (K)“O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord (L)who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the (M)mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with (N)my staff, and now I have become two companies. 11 (O)Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and [d]attack me and (P)the mother with the children. 12 For (Q)You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the (R)sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”
13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what [e]came to his hand as (S)a present for Esau his brother: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. 16 Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves.” 17 And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.’ ” 19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; 20 and also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will (T)appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
Wrestling with God
22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, (U)and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 23 He took them, sent them [f]over the brook, and sent over what he had. 24 Then Jacob was left alone; and (V)a Man wrestled with him until the [g]breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He [h]touched the socket of his hip; and (W)the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And (X)He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”
But he said, (Y)“I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
27 So He said to him, “What is your name?”
He said, “Jacob.”
28 And He said, (Z)“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but [i]Israel; for you have (AA)struggled with God and (AB)with men, and have prevailed.”
29 Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”
And He said, (AC)“Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He (AD)blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the name of the place [j]Peniel: “For (AE)I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” 31 Just as he crossed over [k]Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He [l]touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle that shrank.
Footnotes
- Genesis 32:2 Lit. Double Camp
- Genesis 32:3 Lit. field
- Genesis 32:8 Lit. strikes
- Genesis 32:11 Lit. strike
- Genesis 32:13 he had received
- Genesis 32:23 across
- Genesis 32:24 dawn
- Genesis 32:25 struck
- Genesis 32:28 Lit. Prince with God
- Genesis 32:30 Lit. Face of God
- Genesis 32:31 Lit. Face of God; same as Peniel, v. 30
- Genesis 32:32 struck
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
