And he said unto him, my lord knoweth the children
[are]
tender
The eldest being but thirteen years of age, and the youngest
about six; and Esau might easily perceive by their stature that
they were young and tender, and not able to bear either riding or
walking very fast: and the flocks and herds with young
[are] with me;
or "upon me" F18; the charge of them was upon him,
it was incumbent on him to take care of them, and especially in
the circumstances in which they were, being big with young, both
sheep and kine; or "suckling", giving milk to their young, as the
Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so having lambs and calves,
some of them perhaps just yeaned and calved, they required more
attendance and greater care in driving them, not being able to
travel far in a day: and if men should overdrive them one
day, all the flock will die;
if he, and the servants under him, should push them on too fast,
beyond their strength, even but one day, all in the above
circumstances would be in danger of being lost through overmuch
fatigue and weariness.