JACOB WAS THINKING IN PREPARATION FOR MEETING HIS OLDER BROTHER (32:1-23)

1As Jacob was going on towards his father's country, some of God's angels came to him.

2When Jacob saw them he said to himself, “This is God's camp.” He named that country Mahanaim.

3After that Jacob sent some men ahead to his older brother, to Esau, he was in that country Edom.

4He told them, “Take this word to him, say to Esau, my boss, 'Your working man, Jacob, sent us to you. He was staying with Laban. He was there a long time.

5Now he has cattle and donkeys and sheep and goats and workers, men and women. He sent you this word. Perhaps you will feel good towards him. Perhaps you will do something good to him.'#” He told his men, “You will talk like that to Esau.”

6The men went to Esau in accordance with Jacob's word. After returning they said to Jacob, “We went to your older brother, we told him your word. He is coming, he will meet you. He is coming with 400 men.”

7After hearing that word Jacob became very frightened. He separated his people into two groups. He separated his animals too.

8He said to himself, “As soon as Esau comes to one mob he might kill them all, the other group will run away for safety.”

9After that he talked to God, “You truly are God, you are the one who took care of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac. You said to me, 'Go back to your own country, to your own people. I will take care of you, I will keep you safe.' Like that you spoke to me.

10Truly you have been doing good things for me. I am quite unimportant, just rubbish. Earlier when I left my country I crossed to the far side of this river, this Jordan river, I was just going with only a walking stick. Now I have returned with many animals and people.

11I am afraid of my older brother Esau. He might kill us all, the children and their mothers. You told me, 'I will take care of you, I will give you many children and theirs will come after them.' Like that you spoke to me. God, now will you take care of us. Prevent Esau, he might kill us all dead.” In that way he spoke to God.

13Jacob slept there one night. After that he chose some animals to give to his older brother.

14He chose 200 female and 20 male goats, 200 female and 20 male sheep, 30 female camels and their young, 40 female and 10 male cattle, 20 female and 10 male donkeys. He separated those into different mobs to give to his older brother.

16He said to his working men, “You go ahead of me, take these mobs of animals to Esau. Go one behind the other, fairly far apart, fairly far apart (from each other) you will travel.”

17He said to the leading man, “As soon as my brother meets you he will ask you, 'Who is your master? Where are you going? Whose are those animals you are caring for?'

18You will reply to him, 'These animals are Jacob's, your working man. He is sending them to his boss, to Esau. He is coming behind now.'#” That is what he told that man.

19He told the others, “You (pl) also will say that to him, as soon as Esau meets you.

20You tell him, 'Your working man Jacob is coming behind us.'#” Jacob was saying to himself, “Perhaps these animals will make Esau's feelings good towards me. Later he will see me, perhaps he will feel good towards me.”

21When his men went with the animals Jacob stayed there.

22In the night he took his belongings and his wives and children, they crossed the river Jabbok. He left them all on the far side. After that he went back.

24He stayed there alone.

A STRANGER CAME TO JACOB AT NIGHT (32:24-32)

24A man, a stranger, came to him. Those two wrestled each other (lit. 'tried to put each other on the ground'), unsuccessfully they were doing that right up to daybreak.

25Jacob didn't give up, he kept holding the stranger. Therefore that one hit him on the hip and put it out of joint.

26After that he said to Jacob, “It is becoming first light. Don't hold me. Leave me!” Jacob said to him, “You tell me whatever good you will do for me. If you don't I will keep holding you.”

27That stranger asked him, “Who are you?” “My name is Jacob.”

28That stranger said to him, “From now they will not name you Jacob. You have argued with God and with people, they have left you, you are still standing up. Therefore from now on your name will be Israel.”

29After that Jacob asked him, “And who are you?” He said to him, “Don't ask, you can't talk in that way to me. Now I will do good to you.” Like that he spoke to Jacob. Then he left Jacob there, he went away.

30Jacob said to himself, “I saw God's face. Wow! He didn't kill me.” Because of that Jacob named that camp Peniel. That name says, 'God's Face'.

31Right at that time the sun was coming up. Jacob left that country, he was going along limping after being hit on the hip.

32Because of that story Israel's mob after they kill an animal do not eat the muscle from the hip. They remember that long ago God hit Jacob right on the hip.