Genesis 32:4

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 the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim. 3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. 5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’” 6When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you—he and four hundred men with him.”

Genesis 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

• He instructed themצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• You are to sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• You are to sayכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
• to my masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• Esauעֵשָׂו‛êώâv · EsauH6215
• Your servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• I have been stayingגּוּרgûr · to sojournH1481
• withעִם‛im · withH5973
• Labanלָבָןlâbân · LabanH3837
• and have remained thereאָחַר'âchar · to delayH309
• untilעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258

Cross-references for Genesis 32:4

• Genesis 32:5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”
• Genesis 4:7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
• Genesis 23:6“Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”
• Genesis 27:29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
• Genesis 33:8“What do you mean by sending this whole company to meet me?” asked Esau. “To find favor in your sight, my lord,” Jacob answered.
• Exodus 32:22“Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
• 1 Samuel 26:17Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.
• Proverbs 6:3then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
• Proverbs 15:1A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
• Luke 14:11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
• 1 Peter 3:6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear.
• 1 Kings 20:32So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.

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

• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• Esau
• Jacob
• Laban
• Jacob, Israel
• Ask
• Cast
• Deal
• Mercy
• Present
• Touch

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