Genesis 32:13-23

13 He lodged there that night, and took from that which he had with him, a present for Esav, his brother:

14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

15 thirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty she-donkeys and ten foals.

16 He delivered them into the hands of his servants, every herd by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put a space between herd and herd."

17 He commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esav, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, 'Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before you?'

18 Then you shall say, 'They are your servant, Ya`akov's. It is a present sent to my lord, Esav. Behold, he also is behind us.'"

19 He commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the herds, saying, "This is how you shall speak to Esav, when you find him.

20 You shall say, 'Not only that, but behold, your servant, Ya`akov, is behind us.'" For, he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me."

21 So the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the camp.

22 He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Yabbok.

23 He took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had.

Genesis 32:13-23 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.