Genesis 32:8

8 And Jacob said, If Esau should come to one camp, and smite it, the other camp shall be in safety.

Genesis 32:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 32:8

And said, if Esau come to the one company, and smite it
The first, which perhaps consisted only of some servants, with a part of his cattle; so that if Esau should come in an hostile manner, and fall upon that, and slay the servants, and take the cattle as a booty: then the other company which is left shall escape;
by flight, in which most probably were he himself, his wives and children, and the camels to carry them off who would have notice by what should happen to the first band; but one would think, that, notwithstanding all this precaution and wise methods taken, there could be little expectation of escaping the hands of Esau, if he came out on such an ill design; for whither could they flee? or how could they hope to get out of the reach of four hundred men pursuing after them, unless it could be thought, or might be hoped, that the first company falling into his hands, and the revenge on them, and the plunder of them, would satiate him, and he would proceed no further? but Jacob did not trust to these methods he concerted, but betakes himself to God in prayer, as follows.

Genesis 32:8 In-Context

6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and lo! he comes to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
7 And Jacob was greatly terrified, and was perplexed; and he divided the people that was with him, and the cows, and the camels, and the sheep, into two camps.
8 And Jacob said, If Esau should come to one camp, and smite it, the other camp shall be in safety.
9 And Jacob said, God of my father Abraam, and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, thou he that said to me, Depart quickly to the land of thy birth, and I will do thee good.
10 Let there be to me a sufficiency of all the justice and all the truth which thou hast wrought with thy servant; for with this my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two camps.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.