Genesis 32:20
New International Version
And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.”

New Living Translation
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. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.”

English Standard Version
and 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.”

Berean Standard Bible
You 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.”

King James Bible
And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

New King James Version
and also say, ‘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.”

New American Standard Bible
and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the gift that goes ahead of me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

NASB 1995
and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

NASB 1977
and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

Legacy Standard Bible
and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease his face with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will lift up my face.”

Amplified Bible
and you shall say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he said [to himself], “I will try to appease him with the gift that is going ahead of me. Then afterward I will see him; perhaps he will accept and forgive me.”

Christian Standard Bible
You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I want to appease Esau with the gift that is going ahead of me. After that, I can face him, and perhaps he will forgive me.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I want to appease Esau with the gift that is going ahead of me. After that, I can face him, and perhaps he will forgive me.”

American Standard Version
and ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And say to him, ‘Behold also your Servant Yaquuv is behind us, because he said, I shall appease his anger with the offerings that go before me, and after I shall see his face, perhaps he will accept my face.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and ye shall say, Behold thy servant Jacob comes after us. For he said, I will propitiate his countenance with the gifts going before his presence, and afterwards I will behold his face, for peradventure he will accept me.

Contemporary English Version
And Jacob told them to be sure to say that he was right behind them. Jacob hoped the gifts would make Esau friendly, so Esau would be glad to see him when they met.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And ye shall add: thy servant Jacob himself also followeth after us: for he said: I will appease him with the presents that go before, and afterwards I will see him, perhaps he will be gracious to me.

English Revised Version
and ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
And be sure to add, 'Jacob is right behind us, sir.' " He thought, "I'll make peace with him by giving him this gift that I'm sending ahead of me. After that I will see him, and he'll welcome me back."

Good News Translation
You must say, 'Yes, your servant Jacob is right behind us.'" Jacob was thinking, "I will win him over with the gifts, and when I meet him, perhaps he will forgive me."

International Standard Version
You are to tell him, 'Look! Your servant Jacob is coming along behind us.'" Jacob was thinking, "I'll pacify him with the presents that are being sent ahead of me. Then, when I meet him, perhaps he'll accept me."

JPS Tanakh 1917
and ye shall say: Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.' For he said: 'I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.'

Literal Standard Version
and you have also said, Behold, your servant Jacob [is] behind us”; for he said, “I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterward I see his face; it may be he lifts up my face”;

Majority Standard Bible
You 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.”

New American Bible
and also tell him, ‘Your servant Jacob is right behind us.’ ” For Jacob reasoned, “If I first appease him with a gift that precedes me, then later, when I face him, perhaps he will forgive me.”

NET Bible
You must also say, 'In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.'" Jacob thought, "I will first appease him by sending a gift ahead of me. After that I will meet him. Perhaps he will accept me."

New Revised Standard Version
and 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 afterwards I shall see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

New Heart English Bible
You shall say, 'Not only that, but look, your servant Jacob is behind us.'" For, he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will meet him. Perhaps he will accept me."

Webster's Bible Translation
And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

World English Bible
You 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.”

Young's Literal Translation
and ye have said also, Lo, thy servant Jacob is behind us;' for he said, 'I pacify his face with the present which is going before me, and afterwards I see his face; it may be he lifteth up my face;'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob's Fear of Esau
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. 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 Jacob’s gifts went on before him, while he spent the night in the camp.…

Cross References
Genesis 32:19
He 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.

Genesis 32:21
So Jacob's gifts went on before him, while he spent the night in the camp.

Genesis 43:11
Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man--a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

1 Samuel 25:19
and said to her young men, "Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

Proverbs 18:16
A man's gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.


Treasury of Scripture

And say you moreover, 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; peradventure he will accept of me.

I will appease.

Genesis 43:11
And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

1 Samuel 25:17-35
Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him…

Job 42:8,9
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job…

peradventure.

1 Samuel 6:5
Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

1 Kings 20:31
And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

Jonah 3:9
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

of me.

Job 42:8,9
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job…

Proverbs 6:35
He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

Jump to Previous
Accept Afterward Afterwards Ahead Appease Eyes Face Further Gift Gifts Goes Grace Jacob Later Moreover Offering Pacify Peradventure Perhaps Present Sending Servant Sure Thought Wrath
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Accept Afterward Afterwards Ahead Appease Eyes Face Further Gift Gifts Goes Grace Jacob Later Moreover Offering Pacify Peradventure Perhaps Present Sending Servant Sure Thought Wrath
Genesis 32
1. Jacob's vision at Mahanaim.
3. His message to Esau.
6. He is afraid of Esau's coming.
9. He prays for deliverance.
13. He sends a present to Esau, and passes the brook Jabbok.
24. He wrestles with an angel at Peniel, where he is called Israel.
31. He halts.














(20) I will appease him.--The Heb. literally is, he said I will cover his face with the offering that goeth before my face, and afterwards I will see his face; peradventure he will lift up my face. The covering of the face of the offended person, so that he could no longer see the offence, became the usual legal word for making an atonement (Leviticus 9:7, &c). For the "offering" (Heb., minchah) see Genesis 4:3; and for "the lifting up of the face," Genesis 4:7.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You are also
גַּ֗ם (gam)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

to say,
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם (wa·’ă·mar·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Look,
הִנֵּ֛ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

your servant
עַבְדְּךָ֥ (‘aḇ·də·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

Jacob
יַעֲקֹ֖ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

is right behind us.’”
אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ (’a·ḥă·rê·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he thought,
אָמַ֞ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I will appease
אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה (’ă·ḵap·pə·rāh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel

[Esau]
פָנָ֗יו (p̄ā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

with the gift
בַּמִּנְחָה֙ (bam·min·ḥāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4503: A donation, tribute, a sacrificial offering

that is going
הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת (ha·hō·le·ḵeṯ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

before me.
לְפָנָ֔י (lə·p̄ā·nāy)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face

After
וְאַחֲרֵי־ (wə·’a·ḥă·rê-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

that
כֵן֙ (ḵên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

I can face
אֶרְאֶ֣ה (’er·’eh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

him,
פָנָ֔יו (p̄ā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

and perhaps
אוּלַ֖י (’ū·lay)
Adverb
Strong's 194: Perhaps

he will accept
יִשָּׂ֥א (yiś·śā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

me.”
פָנָֽי׃ (p̄ā·nāy)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face


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OT Law: Genesis 32:20 You shall say 'Not only that (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 32:19
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