Genesis 32:6

Then those men came back, and they said to Jacob, “We went and talked to your brother Esau, and now he is coming here to meet you. He has 400 men with him.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

In Context

5I have cows, and bulls, and donkeys, and sheep, and goats, and I have men and women that work for me. I sent some men to say these things to you, and I hope that you will be happy with me.’” So those men went and told Esau those things.

7Jacob thought, “Maybe Esau and his men are coming to attack my camp.” Jacob was really frightened and worried. So he split up all the people that were with him into 2 camps. And he split up all his sheep and goats, and his cows, and his bulls, and his camels. He split up all those animals into 2 groups, and he put one group in one camp and the other group in the other camp.

Read all of Genesis 32

Cross References

Genesis 27:40Your tribe will always fight and steal from other people to get their food. Your brother’s tribe will be boss over your tribe. But one day, your tribe will fight back, and then your brother’s tribe will not be boss over your tribe any more.”

Genesis 32:8Jacob thought, “If Esau attacks one of those camps, maybe the people and the animals in the other camp will get away.”

Genesis 33:1Jacob and his family kept on walking towards the place where Jacob’s brother Esau was. Then Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming towards him with 400 men. So Jacob stopped walking, and he split up his family into groups. He put his wife Leah with her kids, and he put his wife Rachel with her son Joseph, and he put his 2 working women with their kids.

Genesis 33:15So Esau said, “All right. But I will leave some of my men with you, to help you.” But Jacob said, “Sir, you don’t need to do that. You saw me, and you were friendly to me, so now I am happy. I don’t need anything else.”

Matthew Henry on Genesis 32:4-9

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 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: 5 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. 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 32:6