1 T hen Jacob went on his way, and God’s angels met him.

Jacob went on his way, and God’s angels met him.

2 W hen Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s army! So he named that place Mahanaim.

When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he gave the place the name Mahanaim.

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

Jacob sent men to carry news before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4 A nd he commanded them, Say this to my lord Esau: Your servant Jacob says this: I have been living temporarily with Laban and have stayed there till now.

He told them, “Say this to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, “I have been living with Laban, and stayed there until now.

5 A nd I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and women servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find mercy and kindness in your sight.

I have cattle and donkeys and flocks and men and women servants. And I have sent to tell my lord, hoping to find favor in your eyes.’”

6 A nd the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother Esau; and now he is to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.

The men that carried the news returned to Jacob and said, “We came to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”

7 T hen Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups,

Then Jacob was afraid and troubled. And he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and cattle and camels, into two groups.

8 T hinking, If Esau comes to the one group and smites it, then the other group which is left will escape.

For he said, “If Esau comes to the one group and destroys it, then the other group will get away.”

9 J acob 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 people and I will do you good,

Then 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 those of your family, and I will bring good to you.’

10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercy and loving-kindness and all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant, for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.

I have not earned any of the loving-kindness and faith which You have shown to your servant. For I had crossed this Jordan with only my walking stick. And now I have become two large groups.

11 D eliver me, I pray You, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and smite, the mothers with the children.

Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the power of Esau. For I am afraid of him. I am afraid he will come and kill us all, the mothers with the children.

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

But You said, ‘I will bring good to you. I will make your children like the sand of the sea. There will be too many to number.’”

13 A nd Jacob lodged there that night and took from what he had with him as a present for his brother Esau:

So Jacob stayed there that night. Then he chose a gift from what he had for his brother Esau:

14 T wo hundred she-goats, 20 he-goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams,

Two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep, twenty rams,

15 T hirty milk camels with their colts, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 she-donkeys, and 10 colts.

thirty milk camels and their young ones, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

16 A nd he put them into the charge of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, Pass over before me and put a space between drove and drove.

He put them into the care of his servants, every group of animals by itself. Then he said to his servants, “Go in front of me. And keep the groups of animals apart.”

17 A nd he commanded the first, When Esau my brother meets you and asks to whom you belong, where you are going, and whose are the animals before you,

He told the one in front, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and who owns these animals in front of you?’

18 T hen you shall say, They are your servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent to my lord Esau; and moreover, he is behind us.

then you say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob. It is a gift sent to my lord Esau. And he is coming behind us.’”

19 A nd so he commanded the second and the third and all that followed the droves, saying, This is what you are to say to Esau when you meet him.

He also told the second and the third and all those who followed the animals, “This is what you are to say to Esau when you meet him.

20 A nd say, Moreover, 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.

And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he said, “I will take away his anger with the gift that goes in front of me. Then when I meet him, he might receive me.”

21 S o the present went on before him, and he himself lodged that night in the camp.

So the gift went in front of him, while he stayed that night in the tent. Jacob’s Name Is Changed to Israel

22 B ut he rose up that night and took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons and passed over the ford Jabbok.

But he got up that same night and crossed the Jabbok River, with his two wives, the two women who served him, and his eleven children.

23 A nd he took them and sent them across the brook; also he sent over all that he had.

He took them and sent them to the other side of the river with all that he had.

24 A nd Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak.

Then Jacob was left alone. And a man fought with him until morning.

25 A nd when '> Man] saw that He did not prevail against, He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him.

When the man saw that he was not winning he touched the joint of Jacob’s thigh. And Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint while he fought with him.

26 T hen He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me.

The man said, “Let me go. For the morning has come.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you pray that good will come to me.”

27 a sked him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob!

The man asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.”

28 A nd He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed.

And the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel. For you have fought with God and with men, and have won.”

29 T hen Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what is Your name? But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? And a blessing on there.

Then Jacob asked him, “Tell me, what is your name?” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he prayed that good would come to Jacob.

30 A nd Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is spared and not snatched away.

So Jacob gave the place the name of Peniel. For he said, “I have seen God face to face, and yet I am still alive.”

31 A nd as he passed Penuel, the sun rose upon him, and he was limping because of his thigh.

The sun rose upon him as he passed through Peniel. It was hard to walk on his leg.

32 T hat is why to this day the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the hollow of the thigh, because touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh on the sinew of the hip.

So to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the meat from inside the joint of the thigh, because he touched this part of the joint on Jacob’s leg.