English Standard Version

Berean Study Bible

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

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

2And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

2When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim.

3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom,

3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now.

4He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now.

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

5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’ ”

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

6When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you—he and four hundred men with him.”

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

7In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels.

8thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”

8He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one camp, then the other camp can escape.”

9And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’

9Then Jacob declared, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, the LORD who told me, ‘Go back to your country and to your kindred, and I will make you prosper,’

10I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

10I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, with only my staff I came across the Jordan, but now I have become two camps.

11Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.

11Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me and the mothers and children with me.

12But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

12But You have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to count.’ ”

13So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau,

13Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:

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

14200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams,

15thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

1530 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys.

16These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.”

16He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.”

17He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’

17He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’

18then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’”

18then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’ ”

19He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him,

19He also instructed the second, the third, and all those following behind the herds: “When you meet Esau, you are to say the same thing to him.

20and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”

20You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”

21So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

21So Jacob’s gifts went on before him, while he spent the night in the camp.

22The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

22During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

23He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.

23He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.

24And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.

24So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

25When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled.

26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

26Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”

27“What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied.

28Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

28Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”

29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.

29And Jacob requested, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.

30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

30So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

31The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

31The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.

32Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

32Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon which is at the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck near that tendon.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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