Genesis 32:18

18 then you shall say, "They belong to your servant Jacob; they are a present sent to my lord Esau; and moreover he is behind us.' "

Genesis 32:18 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 32:18

Then thou shall say, [they be] thy servant Jacob's
Both the goats before them, and they themselves that had the care of them, belonged to Jacob, who directed them to speak of him to Esau as his "servant": it [is] a present sent unto my lord Esau;
which is the answer to the second question: and behold also he [is] behind us:
that is, Jacob: this they were bid to tell, lest he should think that Jacob was afraid of him, and was gone another way; but that he was coming to pay a visit to him, and might expect shortly to see him, which would prepare his mind how to behave towards him.

Genesis 32:18 In-Context

16 These he delivered into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass on ahead of me, and put a space between drove and drove."

17 He instructed the foremost, "When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, "To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?'

18 then you shall say, "They belong to your servant Jacob; they are a present sent to my lord Esau; and moreover he is behind us.' "

19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, "You shall say the same thing to Esau when you meet him,

20 and you shall say, "Moreover your servant Jacob is behind us.' " For he thought, "I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterwards I shall see his face; perhaps he will accept me."