Genesis 32:20

Genesis 32:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
• New International Version (NIV)And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and you shall say, 'Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.'" For he thought, "I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me."
• New King James Version (NKJV)and also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

Context of Genesis 32:20

18Then you must say, “They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift that he has sent to my lord Esau. Jacob himself is coming behind us.” ’ 19Jacob also told the servants who led the other groups of animals, as well as the servants who followed behind them, ‘You are to say the same thing to Esau, when you meet him. You must also say “Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.” ’ Jacob thought, ‘Esau will be happy to receive my gifts. He will no longer be angry with me. Then, when I meet him, he will not hurt me.’ 21So Jacob sent the men with his gifts to go on to meet Esau. But he himself stayed in that place for the night. 22During the night Jacob took with him his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons. They went across the Jabbok river where there was a place to cross.

Genesis 32:20 word by word

וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַעֲקֹ֖ב אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And say yeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• moreoverגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• Behold, thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• behind usאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• I will appeaseכִּפֶּרkâphar · to atoneH3722
• himפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
• with the presentמִנְחָהminchâh · offering: giftH4503
• that goethהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• before meפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• I will seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• peradventure he will acceptנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: kindnessH5375
• of meפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440

Cross-references for Genesis 32:20

• Genesis 43:11Then their father Jacob said to them, ‘If you must take Benjamin, do what I tell you. Put some of the best things from our land in your bags. Take them to the man as a gift. Take some oil, some honey and some spices. Also take some myrrh, and some nuts.
• 1 Samuel 25:17So please think carefully about this. Decide what you can do. If you do nothing, there will be great trouble for our master and all his family and servants. He is such a wicked man that he will not listen to anyone.’
• Job 42:8You three men must now go to Job. Take seven bulls and seven male sheep with you. Burn them as sacrifices for yourselves. After you have done that, my servant Job will pray for you. I will answer his prayer. Then I will not punish you as you deserve because of your foolish words. My servant Job has spoken the truth about me, but you have not.’
• Proverbs 15:18Angry people bring quarrels, but patient people bring peace.
• Proverbs 16:14Someone may die if the king becomes angry with him. So a wise person will try to stop the king's anger.
• Proverbs 21:14If someone is angry with you, give him a gift secretly. A secret bribe will make him quiet, even if he is very angry.
• 1 Samuel 6:5Make images of the tumours and the mice that are destroying everything in the country. Do that to give honour to the God of Israel. Maybe then he will stop punishing you, your gods and your land.
• 1 Kings 20:31Some of Ben-Hadad's officers said to him, ‘We have heard that the family of kings who rule Israel are kind men. We should show that we are sorry. We will tie sackcloth around our bodies. We will put ropes around our heads. Then maybe King Ahab will let you live.’
• Jonah 3:9Then perhaps God may agree to forgive us. He may decide that he will not be angry with us. Then perhaps we will not all die.’
• 2 Timothy 2:25When people speak against God's true message, teach them carefully. Help them to understand what is right. Maybe God will change how they think so that they believe the true message.
• Proverbs 6:35He will not accept any money or bribe to pay the debt, even if it is a lot of money.

Commentaries on Genesis 32:20

• 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
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-23Verses 9-23 Times of fear should be times of prayer: whatever causes fear, should drive us to our knees, to our God. Jacob had lately seen his guards of angels, but in this distress he applied to God, not to them; he knew they were his fellow-servants, Re 22:9. There cannot be a better pattern for true prayer than this. Here is a thankful acknowledgement of former undeserved favours; a humble confession of unworthiness; a plain statement of his fears and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-21Taking a large portion of the wealth God had blessed him with (some 550 animals), Jacob prepared a gift to appease Esau’s anger and gain his favor.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2313-23. took ... a present for Esau--Jacob combined active exertions with earnest prayer; and this teaches us that we must not depend upon the aid and interposition of God in such a way as to supersede the exercise of prudence and foresight. Superiors are always approached with presents, and the respect expressed is estimated by the quality and amount of the gift. The present of Jacob consisted of five hundred fifty head of cattle, of different kinds, such…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 32:20

• Prayer
• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• Jacob
• Jacob, Israel
• Ask
• Cast
• Deal
• Mercy
• Present
• Touch
• Worthy
• Appease

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