Genesis 32:8

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

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

In Context

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.

9Then Jacob prayed to God, and he called God by his special name Yahweh. He said, “Yahweh, you are the God of my grand-father Abraham and the God of my father Isaac. You said to me, ‘Go back to your home country and your relatives, and I will be good to you.’

Read all of Genesis 32

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 →

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Study Genesis 32:8