Genesis 32:13
in Genesis 32Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he lodged there that night, and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his brother:
KJV
And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;
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This verse in Genesis 32
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd took of that which came to his hand - הבא בידו habba beyado, which came under his hand, i.e., what, in the course of God’s providence, came under his power.
This site's exposition
a gift for his brother Esau
on Genesis 32:13-15
The gift is counted out animal by animal, and it opens with 200 female goats and 20 male goats. Jacob had taken the blessing at Genesis 27 wearing the skins of two young goats and carrying a dish cooked from them. Clarke reads the whole drove as restitution for the wrong done to his brother. Henry notes that the man prayed first and then used means.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
See the good man's godliness and proper sense of values in requesting nothing from the Lord other than fulfillment of his promises. After giving thanks for his former benefits by confessing that while naked and destitute he had been brought to such affluence, Jacob entreats God to snatch him from danger. Recall that Jacob says, "You told me, 'I will make your descendants to be like the sand of the sea, which in number will defy counting.' " Having made this appeal to the Lord, however, and having offered this supplication to the Lord, Jacob also made every effort on his own part. Selecting gifts from what he brought with him, the text says, Jacob sent them to his brother, spacing out what was sent and giving instructions with the aim of appeasing Esau by word and alerting him to his own arrival. Recall that the text says, " 'Behold, your servant is right behind us,' so as first to appease him, and then we can meet face to face." "After this," remember Jacob says, "I will meet him face to face; perhaps he will be pleased to see me." The gifts went ahead of him.
Then, intending to ask for peace from his brother, Jacob slept in the encampment. Perfect virtue possesses tranquility and a calm steadfastness; likewise the Lord has kept his gift for those who are more perfect and has said, "My peace I leave to you, my peace I give to you." It is the part of those who have been perfected not to be easily influenced by worldly things or to be troubled with fear or tormented with suspicion or stunned with dread or distressed with pain.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Jacob, having piously made God his friend by a prayer, is here prudently endeavouring to make Esau his friend by a present. He had prayed to God to deliver him from the hand of Esau, for he feared him; but neither did his fear sink into such a despair as dispirits for the use of means, nor did his prayer make him presume upon God's mercy, without the use of means.
It was a present that he thought would be acceptable to Esau, who had traded so much in hunting wild beasts that perhaps he was but ill furnished with tame cattle with which to stock his new conquests.
And he lodged there that same night,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
took . . . a present for Esau--Jacob combined active exertions with earnest prayer; and this teaches us that we must not depend upon the aid and interposition of God in such a way as to supersede the exercise of prudence and foresight. Superiors are always approached with presents, and the respect expressed is estimated by the quality and amount of the gift.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
I WILL SURELY DO THEE GOOD. Even though he was afraid lest the sin cause him to lose that which he was promised, Jacob said: “You have done great kindnesses for me even though I was unworthy of them.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Commentators. Mentioned in Ibn Ezra. The verb “smite” thus applies to the beginning and end of the sentence. have explained it as meaning. “And he smite me and smite the mother with the children.” There are many similar verses.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֥לֶן | vaiyalen | and he stayed [the] night | H3885 → | 84 times |
| שָׁ֖ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| בַּלַּ֣יְלָה | balaylah | in the night | H3915 → | 233 times |
| הַה֑וּא | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| וַיִּקַּ֞ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מִן־ | min- | some of | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַבָּ֧א | haba' | which came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְיָד֛וֹ | veyado | in hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מִנְחָ֖ה | minchah | a gift | H4503 → | 211 times |
| לְעֵשָׂ֥ו | leesav | for Esau | H6215 → | 97 times |
| אָחִֽיו׃ | ʾachiv | brother his | H251 → | 630 times |
וַיָּ֥לֶןand he stayed [the] night
vaiyalenH3885 →84 times
שָׁ֖םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
בַּלַּ֣יְלָהin the night
balaylahH3915 →233 times
הַה֑וּא<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
וַיִּקַּ֞חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
מִן־some of
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַבָּ֧אwhich came
haba'H935 →2568 times
בְיָד֛וֹin hand his
veyadoH3027 →1618 times
מִנְחָ֖הa gift
minchahH4503 →211 times
לְעֵשָׂ֥וfor Esau
leesavH6215 →97 times
אָחִֽיו׃brother his
ʾachivH251 →630 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 19:6Many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:16
A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 17:8
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 42:6
Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 29:26
Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.
- Proverbs 18:16
Through
Proverbs 18:16A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:6
Many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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…
- Genesis 33:10
But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face…
- Proverbs 19:6
Through
Genesis 43:11Then 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…
it leads to
- Genesis 37:25
And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to…
- Genesis 37:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Jacob and the Blessed Life; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 58.6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.