Genesis 32
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1 As Jacob went on his way, angels from God met him. 1Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2As he was watching them, Jacob said, "This must be God's camp," so he named that place Mahanaim. 2When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is the camp of God!" So he named that place Mahanaim.
3Then Jacob sent messengers ahead of him into the land of Seir (that is, into the territory of Edom) to meet his brother Esau. 3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4He instructed them, "This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob told me to tell you, "I've journeyed to stay with Laban and I've remained there until now. 4He instructed them: "This is what you are to say to my lord Esau: 'Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now.
5I now have cattle, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. I'm sending this message to you, sir, so that you'll show favor to me."'"5I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.'"
6Later, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, "We went to your brother Esau. He's now coming to meet you—and he has 400 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, and four hundred men are with him."
7Feeling mounting terror and distress, Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, doing the same with the flocks, the cattle, and the camels. 7In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well.
8Jacob was thinking, "If Esau comes to one group and attacks it, then the remaining group may escape."8He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape."
9Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, O God of my father Isaac, O LORD, you who told me, 'Return to your country and to your relatives and I'll cause things to go well for you.' 9Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, LORD, you who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,'
10I'm unworthy of all your gracious love, your faithfulness, and everything that you've done for your servant. When I first crossed over this river, I had only my staff. But now I've become two groups. 10I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.
11Deliver me from my brother Esau's control, because I'm terrified of him, and I'm afraid that he's coming to attack me, the mothers, and their children. 11Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children.
12Now, you promised me that 'I'm certainly going to cause things to go well with you, and I'm going to make your offspring as numerous as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'"12But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'"
13Jacob spent the night there. Out of everything that he had brought with him, he chose a gift for his brother Esau— 13He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
14200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 14two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
1530 milking camels with their young, 40 cows with ten bulls, and 20 female donkeys with ten male donkeys. 15thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
16He entrusted them into the care of his servants, one herd at a time. Then he told his servants, "Go in front of me, making sure there's plenty of space between herds."16He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, "Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds."
17To the first group he said, "When you meet my brother Esau, if he asks, 'To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And to whom do these herds belong?' 17He instructed the one in the lead: "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?'
18then you are to reply, 'We're from your servant Jacob. The herds are a gift. He's sending them to my master, Esau. Look! There he is, coming along behind us.'"18then you are to say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.'"
19He issued similar instructions to the second and third group, as well as to all the others who drove the herds that followed: "This is how you are to speak to Esau when you find him. 19He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: "You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him.
20You 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."20And 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."
21So the presents went ahead of him, while he spent that night in the camp. 21So Jacob's gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.
22Later that night, he woke up, quickly took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven children, and forded the river at Jabbok. 22That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23He took them across the river, along with all his possessions.23After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.
24And so Jacob was left alone, and he struggled with a man until daybreak. 24So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
25When the man realized that he hadn't yet won the struggle, he injured the socket of Jacob's thigh, dislocating it as he wrestled with him, 25When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
26and said, "Let me go, because the dawn has come." "I won't let you go," Jacob replied, "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."
27Then the man asked him, "What's your name?" "Jacob," he responded27The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.
28"Your name won't be Jacob anymore," the man replied, "but Israel, because you exerted yourself against both God and men, and you've emerged victorious."28Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."
29"Please," Jacob inquired, "Tell me your name." But he asked, "Why are you asking about my name?" And he blessed Jacob there.29Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
30Jacob would later call that place Peniel, because "I saw God face to face, but my life was spared."30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
31The sun was rising above Jacob as he crossed over from Peniel, limping due to his wounded thigh. 31The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.
32Therefore, to this day the Israelis do not eat the hip tendon that connects to the thigh socket, because he had injured the socket of the thigh where the tendon connected to Jacob's hip.32Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon.
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Genesis 31
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