Genesis 32
1 Likewise, Jacob continued on the journey that he had begun. And the Angels of God met him.
And on his way Jacob came face to face with the angels of God.
2 When he had seen them, he said, “These are the Encampments of God.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim, that is, ‘Encampments.’
And when he saw them he said, This is the army of God: so he gave that place the name of Mahanaim.
3 Then he also sent messengers before him to his brother Esau, in the land of Seir, in the region of Edom.
Now Jacob sent servants before him to Esau, his brother, in the land of Seir, the country of Edom;
4 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.
And he gave them orders to say these words to Esau: Your servant Jacob says, Till now I have been living with Laban:
5 I have oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, and men servants, and women servants. And now I send an ambassador to my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.”’”
And I have oxen and asses and flocks and men-servants and women-servants: and I have sent to give my lord news of these things so that I may have grace in his eyes.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to your brother Esau, and behold, he rushes to meet you with four hundred men.”
When the servants came back they said, We have seen your brother Esau and he is coming out to you, and four hundred men with him.
7 Jacob was very afraid. And in his terror, he divided the people who were with him, likewise the flocks, and the sheep, and the oxen, and the camels, into two companies,
Then Jacob was in great fear and trouble of mind: and he put all the people and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two groups;
8 saying: “If Esau goes to one company, and strikes it, the other company, which is left behind, will be saved.”
And said, If Esau, meeting one group, makes an attack on them, the others will get away safely.
9 And Jacob said: “God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me: ‘Return to your land, and to the place of your nativity, and I will do well for you.’
Then Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, the God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, Go back to your country and your family and I will be good to you:
10 I am less than any of your compassions and your truth, which you have fulfilled to your servant. With my staff I crossed over this Jordan. And now I go back with two companies.
I am less than nothing in comparison with all your mercies and your faith to me your servant; for with only my stick in my hand I went across Jordan, and now I have become two armies.
11 Rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am very afraid of him, lest perhaps he may come and strike down the mother with the sons.
Be my saviour from the hand of Esau, my brother: for my fear is that he will make an attack on me, putting to death mother and child.
12 You did say that you would do well by me, and that you would expand my offspring like the sand of the sea, which, because of its multitude, cannot be numbered.”
And you said, Truly, I will be good to you, and make your seed like the sand of the sea which may not be numbered.
13 And when he had slept there that night, he separated, from the things that he had, gifts for his brother Esau:
Then he put up his tent there for the night; and from among his goods he took, as an offering for his brother Esau,
14 two hundred she-goats, twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred females and twenty males from the sheep,
15 thirty milking camels with their young, forty cows, and twenty bulls, twenty she-donkeys, and ten of their young.
Thirty camels with their young ones, forty cows, ten oxen, twenty asses, and ten young asses.
16 And he sent them by the hands of his servants, each flock separately, and he said to his servants: “Pass before me, and let there be a space between flock and flock.”
These he gave to his servants, every herd by itself, and he said to his servants, Go on before me, and let there be a space between one herd and another.
17 And he instructed the first, saying: “If you happen to meet my brother Esau, and he questions you: “Whose are you?” or, “Where are you going?” or, “Whose are these which follow you?”
And he gave orders to the first, saying, When my brother Esau comes to you and says, Whose servant are you, and where are you going, and whose are these herds?
18 you shall respond: “Your servant Jacob’s. He has sent them as a gift to my lord Esau. And he is also coming after us.”
Then say to him, These are your servant Jacob's; they are an offering for my lord, for Esau; and he himself is coming after us.
19 Similarly, he gave orders to the second, and the third, and to all who followed the flocks, saying: “Speak these same words to Esau, when you find him.
And he gave the same orders to the second and the third and to all those who were with the herds, saying, This is what you are to say to Esau when you see him;
20 And you will add: ‘Your servant Jacob himself also follows after us, for he said: “I will appease him with the gifts that go ahead, and after this, I will see him; perhaps he will be gracious to me.”’”
And you are to say further, Jacob, your servant, is coming after us. For he said to himself, I will take away his wrath by the offering which I have sent on, and then I will come before him: it may be that I will have grace in his eyes.
21 And so the gifts went before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
So the servants with the offerings went on in front, and he himself took his rest that night in the tents with his people.
22 And when he had arisen early, he took his two wives, and the same number of handmaids, with his eleven sons, and he crossed over the ford of Jabbok.
And in the night he got up, and taking with him his two wives and the two servant-women and his eleven children, he went over the river Jabbok.
23 And having delivered over all the things that belonged to him,
He took them and sent them over the stream with all he had.
24 he remained alone. And behold, a man wrestled with him until morning.
Then Jacob was by himself; and a man was fighting with him till dawn.
25 And when he saw that he would not be able to overcome him, he touched the nerve of his thigh, and immediately it withered.
But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged.
26 And he said to him, “Release me, for now the dawn ascends.” He responded, “I will not release you, unless you bless me.”
And he said to him, Let me go now, for the dawn is near. But Jacob said, I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing.
27 Therefore he said, “What is your name?” He answered, “Jacob.”
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob.
28 But he said, “Your name will not be called Jacob, but Israel; for if you have been strong against God, how much more will you prevail against men?”
And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome.
29 Jacob questioned him, “Tell me, by what name are you called?” He responded, “Why do you ask my name?” And he blessed him in the same place.
Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved.”
And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
31 And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he had crossed beyond Peniel. Yet in truth, he limped on his foot.
And while he was going past Peniel, the sun came up. And he went with unequal steps because of his damaged leg.
32 For this reason, the sons of Israel, even to the present day, do not eat the nerve that withered in Jacob’s thigh, because he touched the nerve of his thigh and it was obstructed.
For this reason the children of Israel, even today, never take that muscle in the hollow of the leg as food, because the hollow of Jacob's leg was touched.
