Genesis_Chapter 32

Jacob continued on his journey, but the messengers of God met him.

When Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s army, and he named the place Mahanaim.

Jacob sent messengers first to the land of Seir, which is the land of Edom, and saw his brother Esau,

Tell them, ‘Speak to my lord Esau,’ This is what your servant Jacob says: ‘I have been living with Laban until now.’.

I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and servants, and I have sent someone to report to my lord that I may find favor in your sight.

The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We have come to your brother Esau, and he is meeting you with four hundred people.”.

Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed, so he divided the people who were with him, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels, into two groups,

If Esau comes and kills this team, the remaining team can still escape.

Jacob said, O Lord, the God of my father Abraham and the God of my father Isaac, you said to me, ‘Go back to your land and your people, and I will treat you well.’.

I am not worthy of all the kindness and honesty you have shown to your servants. I used to only cross the Jordan River with my staff, but now I have become two teams.

Please rescue me from the hands of my brother Esau. Because I was afraid he would come and kill me, even my wife and children.

You once said, I will surely treat you well, making your descendants like the sand by the sea, countless and countless.

That night, Jacob stayed there and took a gift from all his possessions to give to his brother Esau.

Two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep, twenty male sheep,

Thirty camels with their calves, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten donkey foals.

Each one is divided into a group and handed over to his servant. Then he said to his servant, “Go ahead of me and let the groups separate, leaving a place for leisure.”.

And he commanded all those who left first, saying, When my brother Esau found you, he asked you, ‘Which family are you from, where are you going, and whose are these things in front of you?’,

Say, it is your servant Jacob’s, it is a gift to my lord Esau. He himself is also behind us.

And he commanded the second and third, and all those who drove the herds, saying, When you find Esau, say to him the same.

And you must say, Your servant Jacob is behind us. Because Jacob said in his heart, I will use the gift that comes before me to relieve his hatred, and then see his face again, or perhaps he will accommodate me.

So the gift went first. That night, Jacob stayed in the team.

He got up at night and took his two wives, two maids, and eleven sons to cross the Jabbok ferry crossing,

First send them across the river, and then send all of them over,

Only Jacob is left. Someone came to wrestle with him until dawn.

The man saw that he couldn’t beat him, so he touched his thigh socket. Jacob’s thigh socket twisted while he was wrestling.

That person said, it’s dawn, let me go. Jacob said, If you do not bless me, I will not allow you to go.

That person said, what is your name? He said, My name is Jacob.

The man said, Do not call your name Jacob anymore, but Israel. Because you have fought with God and man, and have both overcome.

Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”. The man said, Why ask my name? So he blessed Jacob there.

Jacob named the place Penuel, which means face to face with God, and said, I have seen God face to face, and my life shall be preserved.

When the sun had just risen, Jacob passed by Penuel and his thigh became limp.

Therefore, the Israelites did not eat the sinews of Jacob’s thighs until today, because that person touched the sinews of Jacob’s thighs.