Genesis 32:1-21
Esau Comes to Meet Jacob
1 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.”’”
6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” 7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. 8 And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.”
9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. 12 For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”
13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as 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 with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. 16 Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves.” 17 And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.’” 19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; 20 and also say, ‘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 went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
When Jacob journeyed onward after escaping Laban’s pseudo imprisonment of forced labor by deceptive dealings, angels met him along the way. He called the place there Mahanaim meaning double camp saying, “This is God’s camp.” He realized it was his camp but also God’s place since He sent angels to meet him there; he saw that God Himself had encamped in the midst of Jacob and his family to guide and protect him. It became a special place for Jacob and also was mentioned twelve other times in Israel’s story through the Old Testament. On his way toward his estranged brother Esau, as he got nearer he sent messengers ahead to calm the past bad feelings for taking his older brother’s birthright out of fear of reprisal. They returned with the news his brother was coming. With four hundred men. It appeared to be an armed response in Jacob’s thinking, and so he made plans to minimize the losses as if needing military strategy in an imminent battle. He divided his forces in two out of abundance of caution and prayed to the LORD of Abraham and Isaac for deliverance when they met. He reminded God that He had called him back to deal well with him, not to tell God what to do or even to remind Him, but as a reminder to himself out loud more than anything. He told God that he was unworthy of His mercy and truth yet asked to be delivered from the wrath of his brother as he recalled the state they parted in almost fifteen years ago. We likewise understand God’s grace in the truth of the gospel of His deliverance which none deserve and that He pours out on His children whom He chooses (Romans 9:11-13, 15, 18) and protects. He reminded himself therefore in that agonizing prayer that he was promised in that word of truth to become a channel of salvation with innumerable descendants which meant he had to somehow survive this encounter with Esau. He trusted God’s truth and leaned on His mercy in his (Mark 9:24) unbelief, just as we continue to do to this day, for God never changes His character or promises! We can trust Him to lead and guide us and use us for His glory, no matter the opposition we face. Therefore, Jacob sent many gifts in staggered groups to his brother to make what peace he could (Luke 12:57) before meeting him and sent them ahead to soften the blow before meeting face to face. He sought to appease Esau with many gifts to be accepted and not annihilated. Then he stayed in camp for the night as the procession wound ahead to his brother as he continued in prayer and supplication. May we always be constant in prayer as we trust in God’s truth of His promises and depend on His mercy of grace.
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