Genesis 32:17

17 He commanded the one in front, saying, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?'

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 milking camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
16 He delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass on before me, and put a space between droves."
17 He commanded the one in front, saying, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?'
18 then you shall say, 'These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a present sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.' "
19 Then he commanded also the second and the third, and all those who followed the droves, saying, "After this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;

Footnotes 1

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