Genesis 32:17

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 before you?'

Genesis 32:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 32:17

And he commanded the foremost
He that had the care of the first drove, which consisted of goats, male and female: saying, when Esau my brother meeteth thee;
as there was reason to believe he would, being on the road, and him first of all, being the foremost: and asketh thee, saying, what [art] thou?
that is, whose servant art thou? to whom dost thou belong? and whither goest thou?
what place art thou travelling to? and whose are these before thee?
whose are these goats? to whom do they belong thou art driving? for in driving and travelling on the road, sheep and goats went before those that had the care of them; whereas, in leading out to pastures, the shepherds went before, and the flocks followed, ( John 10:4 ) .

Genesis 32:17 In-Context

15 thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten he-asses.

16 These he delivered into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass on before 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 before 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,