Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)and also say, ‘Look, your servant Yacob is behind us.’ ” Yacob was thinking, “I’ll cheer him up with the gifts that are going ahead of me, and after that, when I see him in person, perhaps he’ll accept me.”
Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXXΚαὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ πρώτῳ, καὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ, καὶ τῷ τρίτῳ, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς προπορευομένοις ὀπίσω τῶν ποιμνίων τούτων, λέγων, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο λαλήσατε Ἡσαῦ ἐν τῷ εὑρεῖν ὑμᾶς αὐτόν· (Kai eneteilato tōi prōtōi, kai tōi deuterōi, kai tōi tritōi, kai pasi tois proporeuomenois opisō tōn poimniōn toutōn, legōn, kata to ɽaʸma touto lalaʸsate Haʸsau en tōi heurein humas auton; )
BrTrAnd he charged the first and the second and the third, and all that went before him after these flocks, saying, Thus shall ye speak to Esau when ye find him;
ULTAnd also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will cover his face with the gift that is going before me, and after that, when I see his face, perhaps he will receive my face.”
USTEspecially 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.
BSBYou are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I will appease Esau [fn] with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.[fn]”
OEBand to say, ‘Jacob himself is just behind us.’ For he said to himself, ‘I will please him with the present that goes before me, and then, when I meet him, perhaps he will welcome me.’
WEBBEYou 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.”
NETYou must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” Jacob thought, “I will first appease him by sending a gift ahead of me. After that I will meet him. Perhaps he will accept me.”
LSVand you have also said, Behold, your servant Jacob [is] behind us”; for he said, “I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterward I see his face; it may be he lifts up my face”;
FBVYou must also tell him, ‘Your servant Jacob is right behind us.’ ” ¶ Jacob said to himself, “Maybe by sending these gifts on ahead Esau won't be angry with me and when I meet him he'll be kind to me.”
T4TAnd be sure to say ‘Jacob, who wants to serve you, is coming behind us.’ ” Jacob told them to say that because he was thinking, “Perhaps these gifts that I am sending ahead of me will cause him to ◄act peacefully toward/stop being angry with► me. Then later, when I see him, perhaps he will be kind to me.”
LEBAnd moreover, you shall say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he thought, “Let me appease him[fn] with the gift going before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will show me favor.”[fn]
BBEAnd you are to say further, Jacob, your servant, is coming after us. For he said to himself, I will take away his wrath by the offering which I have sent on, and then I will come before him: it may be that I will have grace in his eyes.
JPS(32-21) and ye shall say: Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.' For he said: 'I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.'
ASVand ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.
DRAAnd ye shall add: Thy servant Jacob himself also followeth after us: for he said: I will appease him with the presents that go before, and afterwards I will see him, perhaps he will be gracious to me.
YLTand ye have said also, Lo, thy servant Jacob [is] behind us;' for he said, 'I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterwards I see his face; it may be he lifteth up my face;'
DrbyAnd, moreover, ye shall say, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will propitiate him with the gift that goes before me, and afterwards I will see his face: perhaps he will accept me.
RVand ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.
WbstrAnd say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
KJB-1769And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.[fn] (And say ye/you_all moreover/what's_more, Behold, thy/your servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth/goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure/perhaps he will accept of me. )
KJB-1611[fn]And say ye moreouer, Beholde, thy seruant Iacob is behind vs: for he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peraduenture he will accept of me. (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes)
BshpsAnd say moreouer: beholde, thy seruaunt Iacob also commeth after vs: for he sayde, I wyll appeace his wrath with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see him my selfe, peraduenture he wyll receaue me to grace. (And say moreover/what's_more: behold, thy/your servant Yacob also cometh/comes after us: for he said, I will appeace his wrath with the present that goeth/goes before me, and afterward I will see him myself, peradventure/perhaps he will receive me to grace.)
GnvaAnd ye shall say moreouer, Beholde, thy seruant Iaakob commeth after vs (for he thought, I will appease his wrath with the present that goeth before me, and afterwarde I will see his face: it may be that he will accept me.) (And ye/you_all shall say moreover/what's_more, Behold, thy/your servant Yacob cometh/comes after us (for he thought, I will appease his wrath with the present that goeth/goes before me, and afterward I will see his face: it may be that he will accept me.) )
Cvdland saye vnto him also: Beholde, yi seruaut Iacob is behynde vs. For he thought: I wyll reconcyle him with the present that goeth before me, after warde wyll I se him my self, peraduenture he shall receaue me to grace. (and say unto him also: Behold, yi servant Yacob is behind us. For he thought: I will reconcyle him with the present that goeth/goes before me, after warde will I see him myself, peradventure/perhaps he shall receive me to grace.)
Wyclwhanne ye fynden hym, and ye schulen adde, Also Jacob hym silf thi seruaunt sueth oure weie. For Jacob seide, Y schal plese Esau with yiftis that goon bifore, and aftirward Y schal se hym; in hap he schal be mercyful to me. (whanne ye/you_all fynden him, and ye/you_all should adde, Also Yacob himself thy/your servant sueth our way. For Yacob said, I shall please Esau with yiftis that gone bifore, and afterward I shall see him; in hap he shall be mercyful to me.)
LuthAlso gebot er auch dem andern und dem dritten und allen, die den Herden nachgingen, und sprach: Wie ich euch gesagt habe, so saget zu Esau, wenn ihr ihm begegnet, (So gebot he also to_him change and to_him dritten and allen, the the Herden nachgingen, and spoke: How I you said have, so saget to Esau, when you/their/her him begegnet,)
ClVgEt addetis: Ipse quoque servus tuus Jacob iter nostrum insequitur. Dixit enim: Placabo illum muneribus quæ præcedunt, et postea videbo illum: forsitan propitiabitur mihi.[fn] (And addetis: Exactly_that too servus tuus Yacob iter nostrum insequitur. Dixit because: Placabo him muneribus which præcedunt, and postea videbo illum: forsitan propitiabitur mihi. )
32.20Placabo illum, etc. Hæc interposita sunt a scriptore. Non est enim prudentis artem suam detegere, et sic eis cum quibus agitur suspectum se facere. GREG. hom. 14, in Evang., tom. 2 Mystice. Jacob cum ad parentes proprios redit, etc., usque ad ut suavitate intima Deum apprehendamus. Et ecce vir, etc. ISID. in Gen., tom. 5 In hoc principaliter sacramenti Dominici imago figurata est, etc., usque ad ne ultra jam generare possit.
32.20Placabo him, etc. This interposita are from scriptore. Non it_is because prudentis artem his_own detegere, and so to_them when/with to_whom agitur suspectum se facere. GREG. hom. 14, in Evang., tom. 2 Mystice. Yacob when/with to parentes proprios redit, etc., until to as suavitate intima God apprehendamus. And behold vir, etc. ISID. in Gen., tom. 5 In this principaliter sacramenti Dominici imago figurata it_is, etc., until to not ultra yam generare possit.
32:13-21 Taking a large portion of the wealth God had blessed him with (some 550 animals), Jacob prepared a gift to appease Esau’s anger and gain his favor.
(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_commanded also/yet DOM the=second also/yet DOM the=third also/yet DOM all/each/any/every the,followed after the,droves to=say according_to_the,thing the=this say, to/towards ˊĒsāv in/on/at/with,find,you_all DOM=him/it )
See how you translated is behind us in verse 18.
כִּֽי אָמַ֞ר
(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_commanded also/yet DOM the=second also/yet DOM the=third also/yet DOM all/each/any/every the,followed after the,droves to=say according_to_the,thing the=this say, to/towards ˊĒsāv in/on/at/with,find,you_all DOM=him/it )
Alternate translation: “Jacob did all that, because he said”
(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_commanded also/yet DOM the=second also/yet DOM the=third also/yet DOM all/each/any/every the,followed after the,droves to=say according_to_the,thing the=this say, to/towards ˊĒsāv in/on/at/with,find,you_all DOM=him/it )
The idiom cover his face means to try to calm someone’s anger by doing something to please him. Consider whether your language has a similar idiom you could use here. Alternate translation: “I can pacify Esau by sending” or “Perhaps Esau will stop being angry at me if I send”
(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_commanded also/yet DOM the=second also/yet DOM the=third also/yet DOM all/each/any/every the,followed after the,droves to=say according_to_the,thing the=this say, to/towards ˊĒsāv in/on/at/with,find,you_all DOM=him/it )
For some languages it is more natural to use an indirect quote here and say, “because he thought that if he sent the gifts of animals ahead of himself to Esau, then Esau would stop being angry at him.” Notice that this alternate translation also changes the clause order. Do what is best in your language. Alternate translation: “him this gift of animals ahead of me” or “this gift of animals to him ahead of me”
(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_commanded also/yet DOM the=second also/yet DOM the=third also/yet DOM all/each/any/every the,followed after the,droves to=say according_to_the,thing the=this say, to/towards ˊĒsāv in/on/at/with,find,you_all DOM=him/it )
Make sure that the way you translate this clause fits with how you translated the previous clauses as either a direct or indirect quote. Alternate translation: “After that, perhaps he will forgive me and welcome me when we see each other face to face.”
Though the patriarch Isaac moved from place to place several times within southern Canaan, compared to his father Abraham and his son Jacob, Isaac appears to have been a bit of a homebody. In fact, unless Isaac resettled in places not recorded in Scripture, the farthest extent he ever traveled appears to have been only about 90 miles (113 km). Yet, as the child of God’s promise to Abraham to build a great nation from his descendants, Isaac’s relatively simple life served as a critical bridge from Abraham to the beginnings of the twelve tribes of Israel, who were descended from Isaac’s son Jacob. It is likely that Isaac was born at Beersheba (see Genesis 21:1-24), and later Abraham offered him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (located at Jerusalem; see 2 Chronicles 3:1). Then Abraham, Isaac, and those with them returned to Beersheba (Genesis 22:1-19). When Isaac reached adulthood, his father sent a servant to bring back a bride for him from Aram-naharaim, far north of Canaan. When his bride, Rebekah, arrived, Isaac had just come from Beer-lahai-roi and settled in the Negev (Genesis 24:62). Later Isaac resettled with Rebekah in Beer-lahai-roi, and this may have been where their twins son Esau and Jacob were born. A famine forced Isaac to go to Gerar (Genesis 26:1-6) in “the land of the Philistines.” The distinct people group known as the Philistines in later books of the Bible did not arrive until the time of the Judges, so the term here must have referred to another people group living in this region, and this is supported by the fact that King Abimelech’s name is Semitic, not Aegean (the likely origin of the later Philistines). While Isaac was there, he repeated his father’s error (Genesis 20) by lying to the king that his wife was only his sister. Isaac also became increasingly prosperous at Gerar, so the Philistines told him to leave their region. Isaac moved away from the town of Gerar and settled further away in the valley of Gerar. There he dug a well, but the Philistines claimed it for themselves, so he called it Esek, meaning “argument.” So Isaac’s men dug another well and called it Sitnah (meaning “hostility”), but it led to more quarreling, so he dug yet another well and called it Rehoboth (meaning “open space”). The locations of these two later wells are not certain, but they may have been located near Ruheibeh as shown on this map. Then Isaac moved to Beersheba and built an altar. He also dug a well there, and King Abimelech of the Philistines came and exchanged oaths of peace with him. It was likely at Beersheba that Isaac blessed his sons Esau and Jacob, and both sons eventually left Canaan (see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). When Jacob later returned, he traveled to Mamre near Hebron and reunited with Isaac. Sometime after this Isaac died, and Jacob and Esau buried him there.
Jacob Travels to Southern Canaan
Genesis 32-36
As with many of the stories of the Bible, the events of Jacob’s life are often misunderstood by readers as disjointed pericopes arranged primarily for theological and cultural purposes. Because of this, readers often fail to see that these stories follow a clear geographical progression of the patriarch throughout the land of Canaan. This realistic and coherent geographical framework behind the stories gives strong support to the belief that these stories are authentic, historical accounts of the experiences of Jacob and his ancestors. The overall framework for virtually all of Jacob’s stories is very simple: Jacob is born and raised in southern Canaan but comes into conflict with his twin brother Esau, so he flees to Paddan-aram in Mesopotamia (Genesis 25-28; see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). There he builds a large family and great wealth (Genesis 29-30) and eventually returns to southern Canaan, likely retracing the exact steps he followed when he fled (Genesis 31-35; see also “Jacob Returns to Canaan” map). During this time, Esau moves to the hill country of Seir, likely just south of southern Canaan (“Edom and the Land of Seir” map), and establishes his own family there, giving rise to the nation of Edom (Genesis 36). Though the primary intent of Jacob’s return was no doubt to resettle in Canaan, comments made during his reunion with Esau near Peniel may reveal that he also intended to travel even further to Seir to visit his brother there (Genesis 33:12-14). After crossing from Mahanaim to Peniel in Gilead, Jacob reunites with Esau and settles in Succoth for a time and builds a house for himself and booths for his cattle. He eventually crosses the Jordan River and enters Canaan, stopping first at the ancient city of Shechem. There Jacob’s daughter Dinah is defiled by the son of the region’s leader, and her brothers take revenge by killing all the men of the city. Thus, Jacob is forced to leave, but first he calls upon all his household to purify themselves. He collects their idols and rings and buries them beneath a tree in Shechem. Upon reaching Bethel, Jacob builds an altar and calls it El-bethel. The nurse of Jacob’s mother Rebekah also dies at Bethel and is buried under an oak below the town, leading them to call the place Allon-bacuth (“oak of weeping”). Jacob and his family leave for Bethlehem, but very soon after they start the journey Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and then dies. Jacob buries her along the way, apparently near a place called Zelzah (or perhaps Elzah; see 1 Samuel 10 and “Saul Search for His Donkeys” map). Jacob continues on and camps beyond the tower of Eder, perhaps near Bethlehem, since that seems to have been his original destination. Finally Jacob reaches Mamre and Hebron. Soon after this Isaac dies, and Esau and Jacob bury him. The story of Jacob’s journey ends at Genesis 35, and we are not explicitly told if Jacob traveled even further to Seir. Genesis 36, however, catalogs the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, perhaps indicating that Jacob did indeed fulfill the intentions he stated in Genesis 33:12-14.
