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Genesis

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32
Chapter 32
1 Laban arose early in the morning, kissed his sons and his daughters, blessed them, and went. And Laban returned to his place. 2 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 3 And Jacob said, "When he saw this camp of God," and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 4 Jacob sent angels before him to Esau his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom. 5 And he commanded them, saying, "In this way you shall say to my lord Esau: Your servant Jacob says, 'With Laban I have sojourned and lingered until now.'" 6 And it was to me ox and donkey, sheep and servant and maidservant, and I have sent it to tell my lord, to find grace in your eyes. 7 The angels returned to Jacob and said, "We went to your brother Esau, and he is also coming to meet you, with four hundred men with him." 8 Jacob feared greatly and distressed himself and divided the people who were with him, and the sheep and the cattle and the camels, into two camps. 9 And he said, "If Esau comes to one camp and strikes it, then the remaining camp will be for escape." 10 And he said, "Jacob, God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your land and to your birthplace, and I will deal well with you.'" 11 I have been diminished from all the steadfast loves and from all the truth which you have done with your servant, for with my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 12 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him, lest he come and strike me, mother upon sons. 13 And you said, "Very well, I will do good with you, and I will put your Seed like the sand of the sea, which will not be counted because of multitude." 14 He lodged there that night and took from what was coming in his hand a gift for Esau his brother. 15 two hundred goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams 16 Thirty camels nursing and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-donkeys and their colts ten. 17 And he put in the hand of his servants flock flock separately and he said to his servants, "Cross over before and put space between flock and between flock." 18 And he commanded the first one, saying, "If Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these belong that go before you?'" 19 And you shall say to your servant Jacob, "It is an offering sent to my lord Esau, and look, he also is behind us." 20 And they commanded the second also, the third also, and all the ones going after the flocks, saying, "In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him." 21 You shall say, "Also behold, your servant Jacob is behind us." For he said, "I will appease his face with the offering that is going before me, and after that I will see his face; perhaps he will lift my face."