Genesis 32:3
in Genesis 32Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom.
KJV
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
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This verse in Genesis 32
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd Jacob sent messengers before him unto Esau his brother,.... Or "angels": not angels simply, as Jarchi, for these were not under the command, and in the power of Jacob to send, nor would they have needed any instruction from him afterwards given, but these were some of his own servants.
This site's exposition
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him
on Genesis 32:3-5
The Hebrew word for messenger is the word used of the angels in verse 1, and Gill notes that these are Jacob's own servants. Jacob has them say “to my master Esau” and name himself “Your servant Jacob.” Isaac's blessing at Genesis 27:29 had set Esau's family under him. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read him as leaving that promise with God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Jacob did not want to see Esau before he had appeased him with presents, and he only saw him afterward when the presents had been accepted. And when Jacob came to him, he bowed down to him from a long way off. So how shall the elder be slave to the younger, when the younger manifestly bows down to the elder? But the reason why these things were not fulfilled in the actual history of the two men is to make us understand that they were said of a future Jacob. The younger son received the first place, and the elder son, the people of the Jews, lost the first place. See how Jacob has filled the whole world, has taken possession of nations and kingdoms.
See how great was Jacob's fear even after the vision had affected the good man. He was afraid of his brother's aggression and was concerned lest the memory of what had been done by him previously might provoke Esau into an attack on him. "Say to my lord Esau, 'Thus says your servant Jacob: I was dwelling with Laban and tarried until now; I acquired cattle and asses and sheep, servants male and female. I have sent word to my lord in the hope that your servant may find favor with you.' " Notice how Jacob was afraid of his brother, and hence out of a wish to placate him he sent word ahead alerting him to his coming, the wealth acquired by him and where he had spent all the time, so as to calm Esau's anger and succeed in making him gracious. This in fact happened, for God placated his heart, allayed his anger and rendered him gracious. After all, if by the words Jacob spoke to Laban, who had hunted him down in such awful rage, he caused him to suffer such great apprehension, much more did he cause his brother to be more affable to the good man.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Jacob sent messengers - מלאכים malachim, the same word which is before translated angels. It is very likely that these messengers had been sent some time before he had this vision at Mahanaim, for they appear to have returned while Jacob encamped at the brook Jabbok, where he had the vision of angels; see Gen 32:6, Gen 32:
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֤ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| מַלְאָכִים֙ | malakhim | messengers | H4397 → | 213 times |
| לְפָנָ֔יו | lefanav | <to> before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עֵשָׂ֖ו | ʾesav | Esau | H6215 → | 97 times |
| אָחִ֑יו | ʾachiv | brother his | H251 → | 630 times |
| אַ֥רְצָה | ʾartzah | [the] land of towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
| שֵׂעִ֖יר | seir | Seir | H8165 → | 39 times |
| שְׂדֵ֥ה | sedeh | [the] region of | H7704 → | 334 times |
| אֱדֽוֹם׃ | ʾedom | Edom | H123 → | 99 times |
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨חand he sent
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
יַעֲקֹ֤בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
מַלְאָכִים֙messengers
malakhimH4397 →213 times
לְפָנָ֔יו<to> before him
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עֵשָׂ֖וEsau
ʾesavH6215 →97 times
אָחִ֑יוbrother his
ʾachivH251 →630 times
אַ֥רְצָה[the] land of towards
ʾartzahH776 →2504 times
שֵׂעִ֖ירSeir
seirH8165 →39 times
שְׂדֵ֥ה[the] region of
sedehH7704 →334 times
אֱדֽוֹם׃Edom
ʾedomH123 →99 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
Deuteronomy 2:5Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a footprint, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as his possession.
it leads to
- Genesis 36:8
So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 24:4
and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
- Genesis 36:8
Through
Genesis 14:6and the Horites in the area of Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 2:22
just as He had done for the descendants of Esau who lived in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this…
- Deuteronomy 2:12
The Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land…
- Genesis 21:21
And while he was dwelling in the Wilderness of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 2:22
Through
Joshua 24:4and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 2:5
Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a footprint, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as his possession.
- Deuteronomy 2:5
Through
Genesis 33:14Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
- Isaiah 40:11
Through
Genesis 25:30He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
it leads to
- Exodus 15:15
Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,
- Exodus 15:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsEsauIsaac's elder son who despised his birthright (Heb 12:16); father of Edom, Israel's perennial neighbor and adversary.
- PersonPatriarchsJacobThe heel-grasping supplanter reshaped at Peniel into 'Israel, he who strives with God' — father of the twelve tribes.
- PlaceTransjordanEdomThe highland nation descended from Esau that refused Israel passage on the King's Highway, and whose pride the prophets answered.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 5.5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 58.3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.