DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible - Flipbook - Page 63
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G enesis 32
55*Laban got up early the next morning, and he kissed his grandchildren
and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.
32
*As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him.
When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So he
named the place Mahanaim.*
1
2
Jacob Sends Gifts to Esau
3 Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in
the region of Seir in the land of Edom. 4 He told them, “Give this message
to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now
I have been living with Uncle Laban, 5 and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks
of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent
these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be
friendly to me.’”
6 After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We met your brother, Esau, and he is already on his way to meet
you—with an army of 400 men!” 7 Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two
groups. 8 He thought, “If Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps the
other group can escape.”
9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my
father, Isaac—O Lord, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your
relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’ 10 I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your
servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing
except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! 11 O Lord,
please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is
coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. 12 But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants
until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many
to count.’”
13 Jacob stayed where he was for the night. Then he selected these gifts
from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 14 200 female goats,
20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 15 30 female camels with their young,
40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. 16 He divided
these animals into herds and assigned each to different servants. Then he
told his servants, “Go ahead of me with the animals, but keep some distance
between the herds.”
17 He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: “When
my brother, Esau, meets you, he will ask, ‘Whose servants are you? Where
are you going? Who owns these animals?’ 18 You must reply, ‘They belong to
your servant Jacob, but they are a gift for his master Esau. Look, he is coming
right behind us.’”
19 Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third herdsmen and
to all who followed behind the herds: “You must say the same thing to Esau
when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right
behind us.’”
Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me.
31:55 Verse 31:55 is numbered 32:1 in Hebrew text. 32:1 Verses 32:132 are numbered
32:233 in Hebrew text. 32:2 Mahanaim means “two camps.”
