The Beginning (Genesis) 32

  1Heel-Grabber (Jacob) went on his way, and the angels of God (Elohiym) met him.

 2When Heel-Grabber (Jacob) saw them, he said, “This is God (Elohiym)'s host.” and he called the name of that place Two Camps (Mahanaim).

 3Then Heel-Grabber (Jacob) sent messengers before him to Hairy (Esau) his brother in the land of Shaggy (Seir), the country of Red (Edom).

 4And he commanded them, saying, “Tell my lord Hairy (Esau); Your servant Heel-Grabber (Jacob) says, I have been living with White (Laban), and have stayed there until now:

 5I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and men servants, and women servants: and I have sent this message to my lord, that I may find grace in your sight.”

 6The messengers returned to Heel-Grabber (Jacob), saying, “We went to your brother Hairy (Esau). He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”

 7Then Heel-Grabber (Jacob) was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people that were with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands.

 8He said, “If Hairy (Esau) comes to the one company, and attacks, then the other company which is left should be able to escape.”

 9Heel-Grabber (Jacob) prayed, “O God (Elohiym) of my father Father of a Multitude (Abraham), and God (Elohiym) of my father Laughter (Isaac), I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) You said to me, Return to your country, and to your kindred, and I will deal well with you.

 10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which you have shown your servant. I passed over this Descender (Jordan) with only my staff, and now I have become two bands.

 11Deliver me please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Hairy (Esau): for I fear him, lest he will come and kill me, and the mothers with the children.

 12You said, “I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.”

 13And he lodged there that night and gathered a present for Hairy (Esau) his brother from all that he had earned.

 14Two hundred she goats and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

 15Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she asses and ten foals.

 16He 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 between drove and drove.”

 17He gave the first drove orders saying, “When Hairy (Esau) my brother meets you, and asks you, saying, Whose are you? and where are you going? and whose are these with you?

 18Then you shall say, “They are your servant Supplanter's (Jacob); it is a present sent to my lord Hairy (Esau). He is coming behind us.”

 19And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, This is what to say to Hairy (Esau), when you find him.

 20And be sure to tell him, “Your servant Heel-Grabber (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.”

 21So the present went over before him: and he stayed that night in the camp.

 22He rose up before dawn, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

 23He sent them over the brook along with all that he had.

 24And Heel-Grabber (Jacob) was left alone; and there a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.

 25When he saw that he could not overcome, he touched the hollow of his thigh so the hollow of Heel-Grabber (Jacob)'s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

 26The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” He said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”

 27He asked him, “What is your name?” He answered, “Heel-Grabber (Jacob).”

 28The man said, “Your name will no longer be called Heel-Grabber (Jacob), but God Prevails (Israel): for as a prince has, you have power with God (Elohiym) and with men, and have prevailed.”

 29Heel-Grabber (Jacob) asked him, “Please tell me your name.” The man replied, Why is it that you ask about my name?” And he blessed him there.

 30Then Heel-Grabber (Jacob) called the name of the place Facing God (Peniel): for I have seen God (Elohiym) face to face, and my life is preserved.

 31As he passed over Facing God (Peniel) the sun rose upon him, and he was limping because of his thigh.

 32Therefore the children of God Prevails (Israel) do not eat the sinew which shrank, which is in the hollow of the thigh, to this day: because he touched the hollow of Heel-Grabber (Jacob)'s thigh in the sinew that shrank.