1 J acob went on his way, and God’s angels met him.

Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him.

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

Jacob said when he saw them, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim.

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

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

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

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;

5 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.’”

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

6 T he 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.”

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

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

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies;

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

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

9 T hen 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.’

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 relatives, and I will prosper you,’

10 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.

I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.

11 S ave 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.

Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.

12 B ut 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.’”

For You said, ‘ I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’”

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

So he spent the night there. Then he selected from what he had with him a present for his brother Esau:

14 T wo hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep, twenty rams,

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

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

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

16 H e 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.”

He delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on before me, and put a space between droves.”

17 H e 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?’

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

18 t hen you say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob. It is a gift sent to my lord Esau. And he is coming behind us.’”

then you shall say, ‘ These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a present sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.’”

19 H e 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.

Then he commanded also the second and the third, and all those who followed the droves, saying, “After this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;

20 A nd 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.”

and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

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

So the present passed on before him, while he himself spent that night in the camp.

22 B ut 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.

Now he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

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

He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had. Jacob Wrestles

24 T hen Jacob was left alone. And a man fought with him until morning.

Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

25 W hen 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.

When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

26 T he 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.”

Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “ I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 T he man asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.”

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

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

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

29 T hen 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.

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

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

So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “ I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

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

Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

32 S o 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.

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