Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. New Living Translation He told them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, English Standard Version instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. Berean Standard Bible He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. King James Bible And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: New King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible He commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says the following: “I have resided with Laban, and stayed until now; NASB 1995 He also commanded them saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now; NASB 1977 He also commanded them saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now; Legacy Standard Bible He also commanded them saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord, to Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have sojourned with Laban and have been delayed until now; Amplified Bible He commanded them, saying, “This is what to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says this, “I have been living temporarily with Laban, and have stayed there until now; Christian Standard Bible He commanded them, “You are to say to my lord Esau, ‘This is what your servant Jacob says. I have been staying with Laban and have been delayed until now. Holman Christian Standard Bible He commanded them, “You are to say to my lord Esau, ‘This is what your servant Jacob says. I have been staying with Laban and have been delayed until now. American Standard Version And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now: Contemporary English Version Jacob told them to say to Esau, "Master, I am your servant! I have lived with Laban all this time, English Revised Version And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau; Thus saith thy servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now: GOD'S WORD® Translation He commanded them to give this message to Esau, "Sir, this is what Jacob has to say, 'I've been living with Laban and have stayed until now. Good News Translation He instructed them to say: "I, Jacob, your obedient servant, report to my master Esau that I have been staying with Laban and that I have delayed my return until now. International Standard Version He instructed them, "This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob told me to tell you, "I've journeyed to stay with Laban and I've remained there until now. Majority Standard Bible He instructed them, ?You are to say to my master Esau, ?Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. NET Bible He commanded them, "This is what you must say to my lord Esau: 'This is what your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now. New Heart English Bible He commanded them, saying, "This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: 'This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have lived as a foreigner with Laban, and stayed until now. Webster's Bible Translation And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak to my lord Esau: Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there till now: World English Bible He commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: ‘This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have lived as a foreigner with Laban, and stayed until now. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand commands them, saying, “Thus you say to my lord, to Esau, Thus said your servant Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and I linger until now; Young's Literal Translation and commandeth them, saying, 'Thus do ye say to my lord, to Esau: Thus said thy servant Jacob, With Laban I have sojourned, and I tarry until now; Smith's Literal Translation And he will command them, saying, Thus shall ye say to my lord to Esau, Thus thy servant Jacob said, With Laban I sojourned and lingered till now. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he commanded them, saying: Thus shall ye speak to my lord Esau: Thus saith thy brother Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and have been with him until this day. Catholic Public Domain Version And he instructed them, saying: “You shall speak in this way to my lord Esau: ‘Your brother Jacob says these things: “I have sojourned with Laban, and I have been with him until the present day. New American Bible ordering them: “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob: I have been residing with Laban and have been delayed until now. New Revised Standard Version instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have lived with Laban as an alien, and stayed until now; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd he commanded them, saying, Thus shall you speak to my lord Esau; Thus says your servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he commanded them and said to them, “Thus you will say to my Lord Esau: thus said your Servant Yaquuv: ‘I have dwelt and I stayed with Laban until today OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And he commanded them, saying: 'Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now. Brenton Septuagint Translation And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye say to my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob; I have sojourned with Laban and tarried until now. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jacob's Fear of Esau…3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. 5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’ ”… Cross References Genesis 27:41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” Genesis 33:1-4 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. / He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. / But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. ... Genesis 28:13-15 And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. / Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. / Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 31:3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” Genesis 33:8-11 “What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered. / “I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.” / But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably. ... Genesis 27:36 So Esau declared, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice. He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing.” Then he asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?” Genesis 25:29-34 One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished. / He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.) / “First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied. ... Genesis 27:42-45 When the words of her older son Esau were relayed to Rebekah, she sent for her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you. / So now, my son, obey my voice and flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. / Stay with him for a while, until your brother’s fury subsides— ... Genesis 33:12-17 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” / But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all the animals will die. / Please let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a comfortable pace for the livestock and children, until I come to my lord at Seir.” ... Genesis 31:55 Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home. Genesis 33:18-20 After Jacob had come from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped just outside the city. / And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver. / There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel. Hosea 12:3-4 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God. / Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there— Obadiah 1:10-12 Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever. / On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them. / But you should not gloat in that day, your brother’s day of misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast proudly in the day of their distress. Malachi 1:2-3 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved, / but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” Romans 9:10-13 Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. / Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, / not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ... Treasury of Scripture And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall you speak to my lord Esau; Your servant Jacob said thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: my lord. Genesis 32:5,18 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight… Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. Genesis 23:6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. servant. 1 Kings 20:32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. Ecclesiastes 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. Jump to Previous Commanded Commandeth Esau Foreigner Instructed Instructing Jacob Laban Master Orders Servant Sojourned Speak Speaks Staying Tarried Tarry WordsJump to Next Commanded Commandeth Esau Foreigner Instructed Instructing Jacob Laban Master Orders Servant Sojourned Speak Speaks Staying Tarried Tarry WordsGenesis 32 1. Jacob's vision at Mahanaim.3. His message to Esau. 6. He is afraid of Esau's coming. 9. He prays for deliverance. 13. He sends a present to Esau, and passes the brook Jabbok. 24. He wrestles with an angel at Peniel, where he is called Israel. 31. He halts. He instructed them Jacob sends messengers ahead to Esau, indicating a strategic and cautious approach. This reflects the tension and fear Jacob feels about reuniting with his brother, whom he had wronged years earlier by taking his birthright and blessing (Genesis 27). The act of sending messengers is a common practice in ancient Near Eastern diplomacy, used to convey messages and intentions before a personal encounter. You are to say to my master Esau ‘Your servant Jacob says I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now Persons / Places / Events 1. JacobThe central figure in this passage, Jacob is returning to his homeland after years of living with his uncle Laban. He is preparing to meet his brother Esau, whom he had previously wronged. 2. Esau Jacob's elder brother, whom Jacob had deceived out of his birthright and blessing. Jacob refers to Esau as "my lord," indicating a posture of humility and reconciliation. 3. Laban Jacob's uncle and father-in-law, with whom Jacob had lived and worked for many years. Jacob's time with Laban was marked by both blessing and conflict. 4. Servants The messengers Jacob sends to Esau, tasked with delivering Jacob's message of humility and peace. 5. Canaan The land to which Jacob is returning, the Promised Land given to Abraham and his descendants. Teaching Points Humility in ReconciliationJacob's use of "my lord" and "your servant" demonstrates humility. In seeking reconciliation, we should approach others with a humble heart. Preparation for Peace Jacob's careful preparation to meet Esau shows the importance of planning and intentionality in resolving conflicts. Trust in God's Promises Despite his fear, Jacob is returning to the land God promised to his forefathers, showing trust in God's faithfulness. Acknowledgment of Past Wrongs Jacob's message to Esau implicitly acknowledges his past wrongs, a crucial step in seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. Faith in Action Jacob's actions reflect his faith in God's protection and promises, encouraging us to act on our faith even in challenging situations.Verses 4, 5. - And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus; - the expression "my lord "may have been designed to intimate to Esau that he (Jacob) did not intend to assert that superiority or precedency which had been assigned him by Isaac s blessing (Genesis 27:29), at least so far as to claim a share in Isaac's wealth (Calvin, Bush, Gerlach), but was probably due chiefly to the extreme courtesy of the East (Gerlach), or to a desire to conciliate his brother (Keil), or to a feeling of personal contrition for his misbehavior towards Esau (Kalisch), and perhaps also to a secret apprehension of danger from Esau's approach (Alford, Inglis) - I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed - אֵחַרe fut. Kal. of אָחַרcurring only here, is a contraction for אֶךאחַר, like תֹּסֵק for תֹּאסֵק (Psalm 104:29; vide Gesenius, § 68, 2) - there until now: and I have (literally, there are to me, so that I stand in need of no further wealth from either thee or Isaac) oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants: - cf. 12:16 (Abraham); 26:13, 14 (Isaac) - and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight (cf. 33:8, 15; 39:4; and vide 6:8; 18:3). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew He instructed them,וַיְצַ֤ו (way·ṣaw) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order “You are to say לֵאמֹ֔ר (lê·mōr) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 559: To utter, say to my master לַֽאדֹנִ֖י (la·ḏō·nî) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller Esau, לְעֵשָׂ֑ו (lə·‘ê·śāw) Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 6215: Esau -- oldest son of Isaac ‘Your servant עַבְדְּךָ֣ (‘aḇ·də·ḵā) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 5650: Slave, servant Jacob יַעֲקֹ֔ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc says: תֹאמְר֔וּן (ṯō·mə·rūn) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Strong's 559: To utter, say I have been staying גַּ֔רְתִּי (gar·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility with עִם־ (‘im-) Preposition Strong's 5973: With, equally with Laban לָבָ֣ן (lā·ḇān) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3837: Laban -- father-in-law of Jacob and have remained there וָאֵחַ֖ר (wā·’ê·ḥar) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 309: To loiter, to procrastinate until עַד־ (‘aḏ-) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while now. עָֽתָּה׃ (‘āt·tāh) Adverb Strong's 6258: At this time Links Genesis 32:4 NIVGenesis 32:4 NLT Genesis 32:4 ESV Genesis 32:4 NASB Genesis 32:4 KJV Genesis 32:4 BibleApps.com Genesis 32:4 Biblia Paralela Genesis 32:4 Chinese Bible Genesis 32:4 French Bible Genesis 32:4 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 32:4 He commanded them saying This is what (Gen. 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