[1] Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. [2] When he saw
them, Jacob said, "This is God`s host." He called the name of that place
Mahanaim. [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 what you shall tell my lord, Esau: `This is what your servant,
Jacob, says. I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now. [5] I have
oxen, donkeys, flocks, men-servants, and maid-servants. I have sent to tell
my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.`" [6] The messengers returned
to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau. Not only that, but he
comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him." [7] Then Jacob was
greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people who were with
him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies; [8]
and he said, "If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the
company which is left will escape." [9] Jacob said, "God of my father
Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, `Return to
your country, and to your relatives, and I will do you good.` [10] I am not
worthy of the least of all the lovingkindnesses, and of all the truth,
which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I passed over
this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. [11] Please deliver me
from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he
come and strike me, and the mothers with the children. [12] You said, `I
will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which
can`t be numbered because there are so many.`" [13] He lodged there that
night, and took from that which he had with him, a present for Esau, his
brother: [14] two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred
ewes and twenty rams, [15] thirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows,
ten bulls, twenty she-donkeys and ten foals. [16] He delivered them into
the hands of his servants, every herd by itself, and said to his servants,
"Pass over before me, and put a space between herd and herd." [17] He
commanded the foremost, saying, "When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks
you, saying, `Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before
you?` [18] Then you shall say, `They are your servant, Jacob`s. It is a
present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.`" [19] He
commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the herds,
saying, "This is how you shall speak to Esau, when you find him. [20] You
shall say, `Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us.`"
For, he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and
afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me." [21] So the
present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the
camp. [22] He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two
handmaids, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.
[23] He took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which
he had. [24] Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the
breaking of the day. [25] When he saw that he didn`t prevail against him,
he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob`s thigh was
strained, as he wrestled. [26] The man said, "Let me go, for the day
breaks." Jacob said, "I won`t let you go, unless you bless me." [27] He
said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." [28] He said, "Your
name will no longer be called `Jacob,` but, `Israel,` for you have fought
with God and with men, and have prevailed." [29] Jacob asked him, "Please
tell me your name." He said, "Why is it that you ask what my name is?"
He blessed him there. [30] Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for,
he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." [31] The
sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his
thigh. [32] Therefore the children of Israel don`t eat the sinew of the
hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched
the hollow of Jacob`s thigh in the sinew of the hip.
