Genesis 32:6-16

6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, "We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him."

7 Then Jacob was very afraid and worried. He divided the people who were with him and all the flocks, herds, and camels into two camps.

8 Jacob thought, "Esau might come and destroy one camp, but the other camp can run away and be saved."

9 Then Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! Lord, you told me to return to my country and my family. You said that you would treat me well.

10 I am not worthy of the kindness and continual goodness you have shown me. The first time I traveled across the Jordan River, I had only my walking stick, but now I own enough to have two camps.

11 Please save me from my brother Esau. I am afraid he will come and kill all of us, even the mothers with the children.

12 You said to me, 'I will treat you well and will make your children as many as the sand of the seashore. There will be too many to count.'"

13 Jacob stayed there for the night and prepared a gift for Esau from what he had with him:

14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep and twenty male sheep,

15 thirty female camels and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys.

16 Jacob gave each separate flock of animals to one of his servants and said to them, "Go ahead of me and keep some space between each herd."

Genesis 32:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 32

This chapter informs us of Jacob's proceeding on in his journey, and of his being met and guarded by an host of angels, Ge 32:1,2; of his sending messengers to his brother Esau, acquainting him with his increase, and desiring his favour and good will, Ge 32:3-5, who return and report to him, that Esau was coming to him with four hundred men, which put him into a panic, and after devising ways and means for the security of himself; and those with him, at least a part, if not the whole, Ge 32:6-8; then follows a prayer of his to God, pressing his unworthiness of mercies, and his sense of them, imploring deliverance from his brother, and putting the Lord in mind of his promises, Ge 32:9-12; after which we have an account of the wise methods he took for the safety of himself and family, by sending a present to his brother, dividing those who had the charge of it into separate companies, and directing them to move at a proper distance from each other, he, his wives and children, following after, Ge 32:13-23; when they were over the brook Jabbok, he stopped, and being alone, the Son of God in an human form appeared to him, and wrestled with him, with whom Jacob prevailed, and got the blessing, and hence had the name of Israel, Ge 32:24-28; and though he could not get his name, he perceived it was a divine Person he had wrestled with, and therefore called the name of the place Penuel, Ge 32:29-31; the hollow of his thigh being touched by him with whom he wrestled, which put it out of joint, he halted as he went over Penuel, in commemoration of which the children of Israel eat not of that part of the thigh, Ge 32:31,32.