| Chapter 32 |
1 |
Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. |
2 |
When he saw them, Jacob said, "This is God`s host." He called the name of that place Mahanaim. |
3 |
Jacob sent messengers in front of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom. |
4 |
He commanded them, saying, "This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: `This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now. |
5 |
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, men-servants, and maid-servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.`" |
6 |
The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau. Not only that, but he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him." |
7 |
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies; |
8 |
and he said, "If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape." |
9 |
Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, `Return to your country, and to your relatives, and I will do you good.` |
10 |
I am not worthy of the least of all the lovingkindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. |
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 mothers with the children. |
12 |
You said, `I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which can`t be numbered because there are so many.`" |
13 |
He lodged there that night, and took from that which he had with him, 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 and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty she-donkeys and ten foals. |
16 |
He delivered them into the hands of his servants, every herd by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put a space between herd and herd." |
17 |
He commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, `Whose are you? Where are you going? 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. Behold, he also is behind us.`" |
19 |
He commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the herds, saying, "This is how you shall speak to Esau, when you find him. |
20 |
You shall say, `Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us.`" For, he said, "I will 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 passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the camp. |
22 |
He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok. |
23 |
He took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had. |
24 |
Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day. |
25 |
When he saw that he didn`t prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob`s thigh was strained, as he wrestled. |
26 |
The man said, "Let me go, for the day breaks." Jacob said, "I won`t let you go, unless you bless me." |
27 |
He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." |
28 |
He said, "Your name will no longer be called `Jacob,` but, `Israel,` for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed." |
29 |
Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." He said, "Why is it that you ask what my name is?" He blessed him there. |
30 |
Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." |
31 |
The sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh. |
32 |
Therefore the children of Israel don`t eat the sinew of the hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched the hollow of Jacob`s thigh in the sinew of the hip. |