Genesis 32:16
in Genesis 32He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
KJV
And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
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This verse in Genesis 32
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
He entrusted them to his servants
on Genesis 32:16-18
Each herd goes over separately, so Esau meets the gift again and again. Every servant is handed the same script, and it ends every time on one line, that Jacob is behind us. This is the staging of a man who has prayed and is still arranging the answer.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he delivered them into the hand of his servants,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
every drove by themselves--There was great prudence in this arrangement; for the present would thus have a more imposing appearance; Esau's passion would have time to cool as he passed each successive company; and if the first was refused, the others would hasten back to convey a timely warning.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּתֵּן֙ | vaiyiten | and he gave [them] | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְּיַד־ | beyad- | in [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| עֲבָדָ֔יו | ʾavadav | servants his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| עֵ֥דֶר | ʾeder | herd | H5739 → | 38 times |
| עֵ֖דֶר | ʾeder | herd | H5739 → | 38 times |
| לְבַדּ֑וֹ | levado | to only it | H905 → | 200 times |
| וַ֤יֹּאמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עֲבָדָיו֙ | ʾavadav | servants his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| עִבְר֣וּ | ʾivru | pass over | H5674 → | 556 times |
| לְפָנַ֔י | lefanai | <to> before me | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וְרֶ֣וַח | verevach | and a space | H7305 → | |
| תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ | tasimu | you will put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| בֵּ֥ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| עֵ֖דֶר | ʾeder | a herd | H5739 → | 38 times |
| וּבֵ֥ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| עֵֽדֶר׃ | ʾeder | a herd | H5739 → | 38 times |
וַיִּתֵּן֙and he gave [them]
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
בְּיַד־in [the] hand of
beyad-H3027 →1618 times
עֲבָדָ֔יוservants his
ʾavadavH5650 →799 times
עֵ֥דֶרherd
ʾederH5739 →38 times
עֵ֖דֶרherd
ʾederH5739 →38 times
לְבַדּ֑וֹto only it
levadoH905 →200 times
וַ֤יֹּאמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עֲבָדָיו֙servants his
ʾavadavH5650 →799 times
עִבְר֣וּpass over
ʾivruH5674 →556 times
לְפָנַ֔י<to> before me
lefanaiH6440 →2123 times
וְרֶ֣וַחand a space
verevachH7305 →
תָּשִׂ֔ימוּyou will put
tasimuH7760 →584 times
בֵּ֥יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
עֵ֖דֶרa herd
ʾederH5739 →38 times
וּבֵ֥יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
עֵֽדֶר׃a herd
ʾederH5739 →38 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 2:11Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you,
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:15
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 4:6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
- Psalms 25:21
May integrity and uprightness preserve me, because I wait for You.
- Ephesians 5:15
Through
Psalms 112:5It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:21
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
- Proverbs 2:20
So you will follow in the ways of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous.
- Deuteronomy 15:7–10
If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or…
- Psalms 37:25–26
I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.
- Psalms 37:21
Through
Genesis 32:20You 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,…
it leads to
- Job 42:8–9
So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer…
- Job 42:8–9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.