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Genesis 32:19

in Genesis 32

He also instructed the second, the third, and all those following behind the herds: “When you meet Esau, you are to say the same thing to him.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him;

KJV

And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

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This verse in Genesis 32

Commentary

4 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

He also instructed the second, the third

on Genesis 32:19-21

Verse 20 gives Jacob's own reason, to appease Esau with the gift that goes before him. The verb is kaphar, to cover, the word that stands behind atonement. The Hebrew of that one verse says face four times, and before morning he names a place for seeing God's face.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Note, We ought to continue instant in prayer, always to pray and not to faint: frequency and importunity in prayer prepare us for mercy. While Jacob was earnest in prayer, stirring up himself to take hold on God, an angel takes hold on him. Some think this was a created angel, the angel of his presence ( Isa. lxiii.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

And so commanded he the second and third,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

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

The words behind it

21 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיְצַ֞וand he commanded

    vaytzavH6680 →494 times

  • גַּ֣םboth

    gamH1571 →769 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַשֵּׁנִ֗יthe second

    hasheniH8145 →156 times

  • גַּ֚םas well as

    gamH1571 →769 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔יthe third

    hashelishiH7992 →107 times

  • גַּ֚םas well as

    gamH1571 →769 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • הַהֹ֣לְכִ֔יםwho were going

    haholekhimH1980 →1546 times

  • אַחֲרֵ֥יbehind

    ʾachareiH310 →715 times

  • הָעֲדָרִ֖יםthe herds

    haadarimH5739 →38 times

  • לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • כַּדָּבָ֤רaccording to the manner

    kadavarH1697 →1440 times

  • הַזֶּה֙<the> this

    hazehH2088 →1180 times

  • תְּדַבְּר֣וּןyou will speak !

    tedaberunH1696 →1141 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • עֵשָׂ֔וEsau

    ʾesavH6215 →97 times

  • בְּמֹצַאֲכֶ֖םwhen find you

    bemotzaakhemH4672 →455 times

  • אֹתֽוֹ׃<obj.> him

    ʾotoH853 →10935 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Where this verse is studied

About Genesis

Jacob Wrestles with the Angel — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Jacob Wrestles with the Angel — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Genesis: the study guide →Read Genesis 32 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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.

Read on in Genesis 32 →