Amplified Bible
Genesis 32:4
4He commanded them, saying, “This is what to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says this, “I have been living temporarily with Laban, and have stayed there until now;
Genesis 32:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now.
- English Standard Version (ESV)instructing them, "Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, 'I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he commanded them, saying, “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.
Context of Genesis 32:4
2When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim (double camps). 3Then Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. He commanded them, saying, “This is what to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says this, “I have been living temporarily with Laban, and have stayed there until now; 5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants; and I have sent [this message] to tell my lord, so that I may find grace and kindness in your sight.” ’ ” 6The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.”
Read all of Genesis 32Genesis 32:4 word by word
וַיְצַ֤ו אֹתָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֔וּן לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי וָאֵחַ֖ר עַד־עָֽתָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- Esauעֵשָׂו‛êώâv · EsauH6215
- Thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- thus, I have sojournedגּוּרgûr · to sojournH1481
- with Labanלָבָןlâbân · LabanH3837
- and stayed thereאָחַר'âchar · to delayH309
Cross-references for Genesis 32:4
- Genesis 32:5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants; and I have sent [this message] to tell my lord, so that I may find grace and kindness in your sight.” ’ ”
- Genesis 4:7If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.”
- Genesis 23:6“Listen to us, my lord; you are a prince of God [a mighty prince] among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave or hinder you from burying your dead [wife].”
- Genesis 27:29May peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you; Be lord and master over your brothers, And may your mother’s sons bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, And may those who bless you be blessed.”
- Genesis 33:8Esau asked, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he answered, “[These are] to find favor in the sight of my lord.”
- Exodus 32:22Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.
- 1 Samuel 26:17Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king!”
- Proverbs 6:3Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation]; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you].
- Proverbs 15:1A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger.
- Luke 14:11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled [before others], and he who habitually humbles himself (keeps a realistic self-view) will be exalted.”
- 1 Peter 3:6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham [following him and having regard for him as head of their house], calling him lord. And you have become her daughters if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear [that is, being respectful toward your husband but not giving in to intimidation, nor allowing yourself to be led into sin, nor to be harmed].
- 1 Kings 20:32So they put sackcloth around their loins and ropes on their necks, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ” And Ahab asked, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
- Ecclesiastes 10:4If the temper of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post [showing resistance], because composure and calmness prevent great offenses.
Commentaries on Genesis 32:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau - Jacob acknowledges the superiority of his brother; for the time was not yet come in which it could be said, The elder shall serve the younger.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-32Verses 1-32 - Jacob Wrestles in Prayer 3. מחנים machănāyı̂m Machanaim, “two camps.” 22. יבק yaboq Jabboq; related: בקק bāqaq “gush or gurgle out” or אבק 'ābaq in niphal, “wrestle.” Now Wady Zurka. 29. ישׂראל yı̂śrā'ēl Jisrael, “prince of God.” 31. פניאל penı̂y'ēl = פנוּאל penû'ēl Peniel, Penuel, “face of God.” After twenty years spent in Aram, Jacob now returns to Kenann. As his departure was marked by a great moment in his spiritual life, so he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5Apparently inspired by the vision of angels (32:1, Hebrew mal’akim), Jacob sent messengers (mal’akim) into Edom to meet Esau.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau--The purport of the message was that, after a residence of twenty years in Mesopotamia, he was now returning to his native land, that he did not need any thing, for he had abundance of pastoral wealth, but that he could not pass without notifying his arrival to his brother and paying the homage of his respectful obeisance. Acts of civility tend to disarm opposition and soften hatred (Ec 10:4). Thy servant Jacob--He…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 32:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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