New King James Version

English Standard Version

1So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

1Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

2And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom,

4And 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.

4instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now.

5I 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.” ’ ”

5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’”

6Then 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.”

6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.”

7So 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.

7Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps,

8And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.”

8thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”

9Then 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’:

9And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’

10I 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.

10I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

11Deliver 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.

11Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.

12For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”

12But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

13So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother:

13So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau,

14two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

14two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

15thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.

15thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

16Then 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.”

16These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.”

17And 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?’

17He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’

18then 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.’ ”

18then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’”

19So 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;

19He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him,

20and 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.”

20and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”

21So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.

21So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

22And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.

22The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

23He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had.

23He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.

24Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.

24And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.

25Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.

25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

26And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

26Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.”

27And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”

28And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

28Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

29Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.

29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.

30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

31Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

31The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

32Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle that shrank.

32Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.