Genesis 32:1-21.
Genesis 32:1-21 (Good News Translation)
1As Jacob went on his way, some angels met him.
2When he saw them, he said,
"This is God's camp"; so he named the place Mahanaim.
3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the
country of Edom.
4He instructed them to say:
"I, Jacob, your obedient servant, report to my master Esau
that I have been staying with Laban and that I have delayed my return
until now.
5I own cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and slaves. I am sending
you word, sir, in the hope of gaining your favor.
"
6When the messengers came back to Jacob, they said,
"We went to your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to
meet you. He has four hundred men with him."
7Jacob was frightened and worried. He divided into two groups
the people who were with him, and also his sheep, goats, cattle, and
camels.
8He thought,
"If Esau comes and attacks the first group, the other may be
able to escape."
9Then Jacob prayed,
"God of my grandfather Abraham and God of my father Isaac,
hear me! You told me,
LORD, to go back to my land and to my relatives, and you would
make everything go well for me.
10I am not worth all the kindness and faithfulness that you
have shown me, your servant. I crossed the Jordan with nothing but a
walking stick, and now I have come back with these two groups.
11Save me, I pray, from my brother Esau. I am afraid—afraid
that he is coming to attack us and destroy us all, even the women and
children.
12Remember that you promised to make everything go well for me
and to give me more descendants than anyone could count, as many as the
grains of sand along the seashore.
"
13-15After spending the night there, Jacob chose from his
livestock as a present for his brother Esau: 200 female goats and 20
males, 200 female sheep and 20 males, 30 milk camels with their young, 40
cows and 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 males.
16He divided them into herds and put one of his servants in
charge of each herd. He said to them,
"Go ahead of me, and leave a space between each herd and the one
behind it."
17He ordered the first servant,
"When my brother Esau meets you and asks,
"Who is your master? Where are you going? Who owns these animals
in front of you?"
18you must answer,
"They belong to your servant Jacob. He sends them as a present
to his master Esau. Jacob himself is right behind us."
"
19He gave the same order to the second, the third, and to all
the others who were in charge of the herds:
"This is what you must say to Esau when you meet him.
20You must say,
"Yes, your servant Jacob is right behind us."
" Jacob was thinking,
"I will win him over with the gifts, and when I meet him,
perhaps he will forgive me."
21He sent the gifts on ahead of him and spent that night in
camp.
God bless you.
1As Jacob went on his way, some angels met him.
2When he saw them, he said,
"This is God's camp"; so he named the place Mahanaim.
3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the
country of Edom.
4He instructed them to say:
"I, Jacob, your obedient servant, report to my master Esau
that I have been staying with Laban and that I have delayed my return
until now.
5I own cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and slaves. I am sending
you word, sir, in the hope of gaining your favor.
"
6When the messengers came back to Jacob, they said,
"We went to your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to
meet you. He has four hundred men with him."
7Jacob was frightened and worried. He divided into two groups
the people who were with him, and also his sheep, goats, cattle, and
camels.
8He thought,
"If Esau comes and attacks the first group, the other may be
able to escape."
9Then Jacob prayed,
"God of my grandfather Abraham and God of my father Isaac,
hear me! You told me,
LORD, to go back to my land and to my relatives, and you would
make everything go well for me.
10I am not worth all the kindness and faithfulness that you
have shown me, your servant. I crossed the Jordan with nothing but a
walking stick, and now I have come back with these two groups.
11Save me, I pray, from my brother Esau. I am afraid—afraid
that he is coming to attack us and destroy us all, even the women and
children.
12Remember that you promised to make everything go well for me
and to give me more descendants than anyone could count, as many as the
grains of sand along the seashore.
"
13-15After spending the night there, Jacob chose from his
livestock as a present for his brother Esau: 200 female goats and 20
males, 200 female sheep and 20 males, 30 milk camels with their young, 40
cows and 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 males.
16He divided them into herds and put one of his servants in
charge of each herd. He said to them,
"Go ahead of me, and leave a space between each herd and the one
behind it."
17He ordered the first servant,
"When my brother Esau meets you and asks,
"Who is your master? Where are you going? Who owns these animals
in front of you?"
18you must answer,
"They belong to your servant Jacob. He sends them as a present
to his master Esau. Jacob himself is right behind us."
"
19He gave the same order to the second, the third, and to all
the others who were in charge of the herds:
"This is what you must say to Esau when you meet him.
20You must say,
"Yes, your servant Jacob is right behind us."
" Jacob was thinking,
"I will win him over with the gifts, and when I meet him,
perhaps he will forgive me."
21He sent the gifts on ahead of him and spent that night in
camp.
God bless you.
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