Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32:1-21

32 Meanwhile Jacob continued on his journey toward home with his family, and some angels from God met him. 2 When Jacob saw the angels, he exclaimed, “This is God’s army!” So he named that place Mahanaim, which means “two armies.”

3 Then Jacob sent some messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau who was living in the region of Seir, which was also called the country of Edom. 4 Before they left, he ordered them, “This is what you must tell my master Esau: ‘I, your servant Jacob, want you to know that I have been staying with our uncle Laban all this time. 5 I now own many cattle, donkeys, and flocks, as well as many male and female servants. I have sent this message to you, sir, hoping that you will be kind to me when I arrive.’ ”

6 After the messengers delivered Jacob’s message, they returned to Jacob and reported to him, “We went and spoke to your brother Esau. Now he is on his way here to meet you, but there are also 400 men coming with him!” 7 When Jacob heard that, he was very frightened and worried. So he put all the people and animals that were with him into two large groups, including his family, his servants and all his flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle and camels. 8 He did that because he thought, “If Esau and his men come and attack one group, then the other group might be able to escape.”

9 Then he prayed, “Dear Yahweh, the God whom my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac served, you told me to go back to my country where my relatives live, and that you would cause me to prosper. 10 I am not worthy of how kind and faithful you have always been to me as I have served you. When I first crossed this Jordan River, all that I owned was my walking stick, but now my family and belongings are enough to form two large groups. 11 Please rescue me now from my brother Esau, because I am afraid that he and his men will come and attack me as well as these mothers and our children! 12 But you promised me that you would greatly prosper me, and that you would make my descendants as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore, which are so numerous that no one can count them all.”

13 Then Jacob spent the night there, and during that time he selected many of his animals to give to his brother Esau, 14 including 200 female goats and twenty male goats, 200 female sheep and twenty male sheep, 15 thirty mother camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 Jacob put his servants in charge of the animals, with each kind of animal in a separate group. Then he ordered his servants, “Go ahead of me, one group at a time, and keep some distance between each group of animals.” 17 He also ordered the servant in charge of the first group of animals, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘Who is your master, and where are you headed? And who do these animals belong to that you are driving ahead of you?’ 18 then you are to tell him, ‘Esau, sir, these animals belong to Jacob who humbly serves you. He has sent them to you as a gift. In fact, he is following us here.’ ”

19 In the same way, Jacob ordered the servants who were in charge of the second and third groups of animals, and all the servants who were in charge of the other groups, “When you meet Esau, tell him the same thing that I told the first servant. 20 Especially be sure to tell him that his servant Jacob is following you there.” Jacob did all that, because he thought that if he sent the gifts of animals ahead of himself to Esau, then Esau would stop being angry at him. He was hoping that when Esau saw the gifts, he would forgive him and welcome him when they met in person. 21 So Jacob’s servants went ahead of Jacob with the animal gifts for Esau, while Jacob and his family stayed behind in the camp that night.