Génesis 32:4-14

4 Y les dio órdenes, diciendo: Así diréis a mi señor Esaú: "Así dice tu siervo Jacob: 'He morado con Labán, y allí me he quedado hasta ahora.

5 'Tengo bueyes, asnos y rebaños, siervos y siervas; y envío a avisar a mi señor, para hallar gracia ante tus ojos.'"

6 Y los mensajeros regresaron a Jacob, diciendo: Fuimos a tu hermano Esaú, y él también viene a tu encuentro y cuatrocientos hombres con él.

7 Entonces Jacob tuvo mucho temor y se angustió; y dividió la gente que estaba con él, y las ovejas, las vacas y los camellos, en dos campamentos

8 y dijo: Si Esaú viene a un campamento y lo ataca, entonces el campamento que queda escapará.

9 Y dijo Jacob: Oh Dios de mi padre Abraham y Dios de mi padre Isaac, oh SEÑOR, que me dijiste: "Vuelve a tu tierra y a tus familiares, y yo te haré prosperar",

10 indigno soy de toda misericordia y de toda la fidelidad que has mostrado a tu siervo; pues con sólo mi cayado crucé este Jordán, y ahora he llegado a tener dos campamentos.

11 Líbrame, te ruego, de la mano de mi hermano, de la mano de Esaú, porque yo le tengo miedo, no sea que venga y me hiera a mí y a las madres con los hijos.

12 Y tú dijiste: "De cierto te haré prosperar, y haré tu descendencia como la arena del mar que no se puede contar por su gran cantidad."

13 Y pasó la noche allí. Entonces de lo que tenía consigo escogió un presente para su hermano Esaú:

14 doscientas cabras y veinte machos cabríos, doscientas ovejas y veinte carneros,

Génesis 32:4-14 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.