Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau
Study note
As Jacob continues his journey, angels of God meet him, and he names the place Mahanaim, meaning 'two camps.' Jacob sends messengers ahead to Esau in the land of Seir (Edom). The messengers return with alarming news: Esau is coming to meet Jacob with 400 men. Jacob is greatly afraid and divides his people and animals into two groups, thinking that if Esau attacks one group, the other might escape.
1 Jacob continued on his journey, and along the way, angels from God came to meet him. And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2 When Jacob spotted them, he exclaimed, "This is God's camp!" He named that place Mahanaim, meaning 'two camps.' And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead to find his brother Esau in the land of Seir, also known as Edom. And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4 He told them what to say. "Give my master Esau this message. It comes from his servant Jacob. 'I have been staying with Laban all this time.'" And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
5 "'I now own cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and servants. I'm sending this message hoping to be on good terms with you.'" And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
6 The messengers came back with alarming news: "We met your brother Esau, and he's heading your way — with 400 men." And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
7 Jacob was terrified. In a panic, he split everyone and everything into two groups — people, flocks, herds, and camels. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
8 His thinking was, "If Esau attacks one group, at least the other group can get away." And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
Jacob's Prayer
Study note
Jacob prays one of the most honest and humble prayers in the Bible. He addresses God as the God of his fathers Abraham and Isaac, reminds God of his command to return home, and acknowledges that he is unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness God has shown him. When he crossed the Jordan River twenty years ago, he had nothing but his staff. Now he has two large camps. He asks God to save him from Esau and reminds God of his promise to make Jacob's descendants as numerous as the sand of the sea.
9 Then Jacob prayed, "God of my grandfather Abraham, God of my father Isaac! Lord, you're the one who told me, 'Go back to your homeland and your family, and I will take care of you.'" And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
10 "I'm not worthy of even the smallest act of kindness you've shown me. When I first crossed the Jordan River, all I had was my walking stick. And now look — I've got enough to fill two camps!" I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
11 "Please rescue me from my brother Esau! I'm terrified he's going to come and attack us — even the mothers and children." Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
12 "But you promised me, 'I will definitely make things go well for you. I will make your descendants as countless as sand on the beach — too many to ever count.'" And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
Jacob Sends Gifts to Esau
Study note
Jacob selects a massive gift from his herds — over 550 animals in total — and sends them ahead in separate droves. He instructs each servant to tell Esau the animals are a gift from Jacob. Jacob hopes to calm Esau's anger with these generous gifts before they meet face to face. He sends his family across the Jabbok River and remains alone.
13 Jacob spent the night there. Then he handpicked a massive gift for his brother Esau from his own possessions: And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;
14 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 female sheep, 20 rams, Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
15 30 mother camels with their babies, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
16 He organized them into separate herds, each managed by a servant. He told the servants, "Walk ahead of me and leave some distance between each herd." And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
17 He gave the lead servant these instructions: "When my brother Esau runs into you and asks, 'Whose servant are you? Where are you headed? And whose animals are these?'" And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
18 "tell him, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift he's sending to his master Esau. And Jacob himself is right behind us.'" Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.
19 He gave the same orders to every group. The second group, the third, and all the rest. "Say the same thing when you meet Esau." And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.
20 "And make sure to add, 'Your servant Jacob is right behind us.'" Jacob thought, "If I soften him up with all these gifts first, maybe he will welcome me when he sees me." And 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.
21 So the gifts went on ahead while Jacob stayed behind in camp for the night. So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.
22 In the middle of the night, Jacob got up. He took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons across the Jabbok River at a shallow place. And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
23 After getting them all across, he sent all his belongings over too. And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
Jacob Wrestles with God
Study note
That night a mysterious man wrestles with Jacob until daybreak. When the man cannot overpower Jacob, he touches Jacob's hip socket and wrenches it. The man asks Jacob to let him go, but Jacob says he will not let go unless the man blesses him. The man asks Jacob's name, then changes it to Israel, meaning 'he struggles with God' or 'God strives.' Jacob asks for the man's name but doesn't receive it — only a blessing. Jacob names the place Peniel, meaning 'face of God,' because he has seen God face to face and lived. He limps away because of his hip. This encounter transforms Jacob from a deceiver into Israel, the father of God's chosen nation.
24 Then Jacob was all alone. And a mysterious man arrived and wrestled with him through the entire night until dawn. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 When the man realized he couldn't overpower Jacob, he struck Jacob's hip socket. Jacob's hip popped out of joint right in the middle of the fight. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 The man said, "Let me go — the sun is coming up." But Jacob held on tight and said, "I won't let go until you bless me." And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 "What is your name?" the man asked. "Jacob," he replied. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. From now on it will be Israel. You have fought with both God and people, and you have won." And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 Jacob said, "Now please tell me your name." But the man replied, "Why are you asking for my name?" Then he blessed Jacob there. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, "I saw God face to face, and I'm still alive!" And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
31 The sun came up as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping from his injured hip. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
32 To this day, the people of Israel don't eat the tendon near the hip socket. That is because that is where Jacob was struck during the wrestling match. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.