Genesis 32

1verseJacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2verseWhen he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3verseJacob sent messengers in front of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom.

4verseHe commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: ‘This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have lived as a foreigner with Laban, and stayed until now.

5verseI have cattle, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.’”

6verseThe messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”

7verseThen Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. He divided the people who were with him, along with the flocks, the herds, and the camels, into two companies.

8verseHe said, “If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape.”

9verseJacob said, “God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD, who said to me, ‘Return to your country, and to your relatives, and I will do you good,’

10verseI am not worthy of the least of all the loving kindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I crossed over this Jordan; and now I have become two companies.

11versePlease deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and strike me and the mothers with the children.

12verseYou said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which can’t be counted because there are so many.’”

13verseHe stayed there that night, and took from that which he had with him a present for Esau, his brother:

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

15versethirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.

16verseHe 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.”

17verseHe commanded the foremost, saying, “When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, ‘Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before you?’

18verseThen you shall say, ‘They are your servant, Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.’”

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

20verseYou shall say, ‘Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, 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.”

21verseSo the present passed over before him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

22verseHe rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of the Jabbok.

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

24verseJacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day.

25verseWhen he saw that he didn’t prevail against him, the man touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was strained as he wrestled.

26verseThe man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.”

27verseHe said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob”.

28verseHe said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

29verseJacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” So he blessed him there.

30verseJacob called the name of the place Peniel; for he said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

31verseThe sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh.

32verseTherefore the children of Israel don’t eat the sinew of the hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.