Genesis 32-33

New International Reader's Version

Jacob Gets Ready to Meet Esau

32 Jacob also went on his way. The angels of God met him. ² Jacob saw them. He said, “This is the army of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.

³ Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau. Esau lived in the land of Seir. It was also called the country of Edom. ⁴ Jacob told the messengers what to do. He said, “Here’s what you must tell my master Esau. ‘Your servant Jacob says, “I’ve been staying with Laban. I’ve remained there until now. ⁵ I have cattle and donkeys and sheep and goats. I also have male and female servants. Now I’m sending this message to you. I hope I can please you.” ’ ”

⁶ The messengers came back to Jacob. They said, “We went to your brother Esau. He’s coming now to meet you. He has 400 men with him.”

⁷ Jacob was very worried and afraid. So he separated the people with him into two groups. He also separated the flocks and herds and camels. ⁸ He thought, “Esau might come and attack one group. If he does, the group that’s left can escape.”

⁹ Then Jacob prayed, “You are the God of my grandfather Abraham. You are the God of my father Isaac. Lord, you are the one who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives. Then I will give you success.’ ¹⁰ You have been very kind and faithful to me. But I’m not worthy of any of this. When I crossed this Jordan River, all I had was my walking stick. But now I’ve become two camps. ¹¹ Please save me from the hand of my brother Esau. I’m afraid he’ll come and attack me and the mothers with their children. ¹² But you have said, ‘I will surely give you success. I will make your children as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. People will not be able to count them.’ ”

¹³ Jacob spent the night there. He chose a gift for his brother Esau from what he had with him. ¹⁴ He chose 200 female goats and 20 male goats. He chose 200 female sheep and 20 male sheep. ¹⁵ He chose 30 female camels with their little ones. He chose 40 cows and ten bulls. And he chose 20 female donkeys and ten male donkeys. ¹⁶ He put each herd by itself. Then he put his servants in charge of them. He said to his servants, “Go on ahead of me. Keep some space between the herds.”

¹⁷ Jacob spoke to his servant who was leading the way. He said, “My brother Esau will meet you. He’ll ask, ‘Who is your master? Where are you going? And who owns all these animals in front of you?’ ¹⁸ Then say to Esau, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift to you from him. And Jacob is coming behind us.’ ”

¹⁹ He also spoke to the second and third servants. He told them and all the others who followed the herds what to do. He said, “Say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ²⁰ Make sure you say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” Jacob was thinking, “I’ll make peace with him with these gifts I’m sending on ahead. When I see him later, maybe he’ll welcome me.” ²¹ So Jacob’s gifts went on ahead of him. But he himself spent the night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles With God

²² That night Jacob got up. He took his two wives, his two female servants and his 11 sons and sent them across the Jabbok River. ²³ After they had crossed the stream, he sent over everything he owned. ²⁴ So Jacob was left alone. A man wrestled with him until morning. ²⁵ The man saw that he couldn’t win. So he touched the inside of Jacob’s hip. As Jacob wrestled with the man, Jacob’s hip was twisted. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go. It is morning.”

But Jacob replied, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.”

²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name will not be Jacob anymore. Instead, it will be Israel. You have wrestled with God and with people. And you have won.”

²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you want to know my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.

³⁰ So Jacob named the place Peniel. He said, “I saw God face to face. But I’m still alive!”

³¹ The sun rose above Jacob as he passed by Peniel. He was limping because of his hip. ³² That’s why the Israelites don’t eat the meat attached to the inside of an animal’s hip. They don’t eat it to this day. It’s because the inside of Jacob’s hip was touched.

Jacob Meets Esau

33 Jacob looked and saw Esau coming with his 400 men! So Jacob separated the children. He put them with Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. ² He put the servants and their children in front. He put Leah and her children next. And he put Rachel and Joseph last. ³ He himself went on ahead. As he came near his brother, he bowed down to the ground seven times.

⁴ But Esau ran to meet Jacob. He hugged him and threw his arms around his neck. He kissed him, and they cried for joy. ⁵ Then Esau looked around and saw the women and children. “Who are these people with you?” he asked.

Jacob answered, “They are the children God has so kindly given to me.”

⁶ Then the female servants and their children came near and bowed down. ⁷ Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel. They bowed down too.

⁸ Esau asked, “Why did you send all those herds I saw?”

“I hoped I could do something to please you,” Jacob replied.

⁹ But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”

¹⁰ “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I’ve pleased you, accept this gift from me. Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God. You have welcomed me so kindly. ¹¹ Please accept the present that was brought to you. God has given me so much. I have everything I need.” Jacob wouldn’t give in. So Esau accepted it.

¹² Then Esau said, “Let’s be on our way. I’ll go with you.”

¹³ But Jacob said to him, “You know that the children are young. You also know that I have to take care of the cows and female sheep that are feeding their little ones. If the animals are driven hard for just one day, all of them will die. ¹⁴ So you go on ahead of me. I’ll move along only as fast as the flocks and herds and the children can go. I’ll go slowly until I come to you in Seir.”

¹⁵ Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”

“Why do that?” Jacob asked. “I just hope I’ve pleased you.”

¹⁶ So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. ¹⁷ But Jacob went to Sukkoth. There he built a place for himself. He also made shelters for his livestock. That’s why the place is named Sukkoth.

¹⁸ After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan. He camped where he could see the city. ¹⁹ For 100 pieces of silver he bought a piece of land. He got it from Hamor’s sons. Hamor was the father of Shechem. Jacob set up his tent on that piece of land. ²⁰ He also set up an altar there. He named it El Elohe Israel.