Genesis 32 - New Century Version (NCV)

Jacob Meets Esau

32 When Jacob also went his way, the angels of God met him. 2 When he saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.[a]

3 Jacob’s brother Esau was living in the area called Seir in the country of Edom. Jacob sent messengers to Esau, 4 telling them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘This is what Jacob, your servant, says: I have lived with Laban and have remained there until now. 5 I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. I send this message to you and ask you to accept us.’”

6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.”

7 Then Jacob was very afraid and worried. He divided the people who were with him and all the flocks, herds, and camels into two camps. 8 Jacob thought, “Esau might come and destroy one camp, but the other camp can run away and be saved.”

9 Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! Lord, you told me to return to my country and my family. You said that you would treat me well. 10 I am not worthy of the kindness and continual goodness you have shown me. The first time I traveled across the Jordan River, I had only my walking stick, but now I own enough to have two camps. 11 Please save me from my brother Esau. I am afraid he will come and kill all of us, even the mothers with the children. 12 You said to me, ‘I will treat you well and will make your children as many as the sand of the seashore. There will be too many to count.’”

13 Jacob stayed there for the night and prepared a gift for Esau from what he had with him: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep and twenty male sheep, 15 thirty female camels and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys. 16 Jacob gave each separate flock of animals to one of his servants and said to them, “Go ahead of me and keep some space between each herd.” 17 Jacob gave them their orders. To the servant with the first group of animals he said, “My brother Esau will come to you and ask, ‘Whose servant are you? Where are you going and whose animals are these?’ 18 Then you will answer, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. He sent them as a gift to you, my master Esau, and he also is coming behind us.’”

19 Jacob ordered the second servant, the third servant, and all the other servants to do the same thing. He said, “Say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 Say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’” Jacob thought, “If I send these gifts ahead of me, maybe Esau will forgive me. Then when I see him, perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So Jacob sent the gifts to Esau, but he himself stayed that night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles with God

22 During the night Jacob rose and crossed the Jabbok River at the crossing, taking with him his two wives, his two slave girls, and his eleven sons. 23 He sent his family and everything he had across the river. 24 So Jacob was alone, and a man came and wrestled with him until the sun came up. 25 When the man saw he could not defeat Jacob, he struck Jacob’s hip and put it out of joint. 26 Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go. The sun is coming up.”

But Jacob said, “I will let you go if you will bless me.”

27 The man said to him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, “Jacob.”

28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob. Your name will now be Israel,[b] because you have wrestled with God and with people, and you have won.”

29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”

But the man said, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.

30 So Jacob named that place Peniel,[c] saying, “I have seen God face to face, but my life was saved.” 31 Then the sun rose as he was leaving that place, and Jacob was limping because of his leg. 32 So even today the people of Israel do not eat the muscle that is on the hip joint of animals, because Jacob was touched there.

Footnotes

  1. 32:2 Mahanaim This name means “two camps.”
  2. 32:28 Israel This name means “he wrestles with God.”
  3. 32:30 Peniel This name means “the face of God.”

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32 And Jacob hath gone on his way, and messengers of God come upon him; 2 and Jacob saith, when he hath seen them, `This [is] the camp of God;' and he calleth the name of that place `Two Camps.' 3 And Jacob sendeth messengers before him unto Esau his brother, towards the land of Seir, the field of E...
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Genesis 32 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

32 Forsooth Jacob went forth in the way in which he began (And Jacob went forth on the way in which he began), and the angels of the Lord met him. 2 And when he had seen them, he said, These be the castles of God (These be the companies of God/This is God’s camp); and he called the name of that plac...
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32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.[a] 3 Jacob sent messengers in front of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom. 4 He commanded them, saying, “This is w...
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32 Jacob went on his way as well. As he went, messengers of God met him along the way. 2 When Jacob saw them, he acknowledged that this was God’s camp, so he named that place Mahanaim, which means “two camps.” 3-4 Jacob knew he had to pass by the territory of Edom where his brother Esau lived in t...
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32 Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him; 2 and when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s army!” So he called the name of that place Mahana′im.[a] Jacob Sends Presents to Appease Esau3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Se′ir, the country of Edom...
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Genesis 32 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

32 Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him; 2 and when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s army!” So he called the name of that place Mahana′im.[a] Jacob Sends Presents to Appease Esau3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Se′ir, the country of Edom...
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Genesis 32 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

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Genesis 32 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him; 2 when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called that place Mahanaim.[a](A)Jacob Sends Presents to Appease Esau3 Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom,(B)4 instructing th...
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Esau Comes to Meet Jacob32 Jacob went on his way, and God’s angels met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he gave the place the name Mahanaim. 3 Jacob sent men to carry news before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He told them, “Say thi...
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Genesis 32 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Esau Comes to Meet Jacob32 So Jacob went on his way, and (A)the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s (B)camp.” And he called the name of that place [a]Mahanaim. 3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother (C)in the land of Seir, (D)the [b]country of ...
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Genesis 32 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Jacob prepares to meet Esau32 [a]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘This is the camp of God!’ So he named that place Mahanaim.[b] 3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He instruc...
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Genesis 32 - New International Version (NIV)

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau32 [a]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God(A) met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”(B) So he named that place Mahanaim.[b](C) 3 Jacob sent messengers(D) ahead of him to his brother Esau(E) in the land of Seir,(F) the country of Ed...
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Jacob Gets Ready to Meet Esau32 Jacob also went on his way. The angels of God met him. 2 Jacob saw them. He said, “This is the army of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. 3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau. Esau lived in the land of Seir. It was also called the country of E...
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