Genesi 32:9-19

9 Poi Giacobbe disse: O Dio di Abrahamo, mio padre, e Dio parimente d’Isacco, mio padre; o Signore, che mi dicesti: Ritorna al tuo paese, ed al tuo luogo natio, ed io ti farò del bene,

10 io son piccolo appo tutte le benignità, e tutta la lealtà che tu hai usata inverso il tuo servitore; perciocchè io passai questo Giordano col mio bastone solo, ed ora son divenuto due schiere.

11 Liberami, ti prego, dalle mani del mio fratello, dalle mani di Esaù; perciocchè io temo di lui, che talora egli non venga, e mi percuota, madre e figliuoli insieme.

12 E pur tu hai detto: Per certo io ti farò del bene, e farò che la tua progenie sarà come la rena del mare, la qual non si può annoverare per la sua moltitudine.

13 Ed egli dimorò quivi quella notte; e prese di ciò che gli venne in mano per farne un presente ad Esaù, suo fratello;

14 cioè dugento capre, e venti becchi; dugento pecore, e venti montoni;

15 trenta cammelle allattanti, insieme co’ lor figli; quaranta vacche, e dieci giovenchi; venti asine, e dieci puledri d’asini.

16 E diede ciascuna greggia da parte in mano ai suoi servitori; e disse loro: Passate davanti a me, e fate che vi sia alquanto spazio fra una greggia e l’altra.

17 E diede quest’ordine al primo: Quando Esaù, mio fratello, ti scontrerà, e ti domanderà: Di cui sei tu? e dove vai? e di cui son questi animali che vanno davanti a te?

18 di’: Io son del tuo servitore Giacobbe; quest’è un presente mandato al mio signore Esaù; ed ecco, egli stesso viene dietro a noi.

19 E diede lo stesso ordine al secondo, ed al terzo, ed a tutti que’ servitori che andavano dietro a quelle gregge; dicendo: Parlate ad Esaù in questa maniera, quando voi lo troverete.

Genesi 32:9-19 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.