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 he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s camp!” He named that place Mahanaim [Two Camps]. 3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in Seir, the country of Edom. He commanded them to give this message to Esau, “Sir, this is what Jacob has to say, ‘I’ve been living with Laban and have stayed until now. 5I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, and male and female slaves. I’ve sent ⌞these messengers⌟ to tell you ⌞this news⌟ in order to win your favor.’ ” 6When the messengers came back to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you with 400 men.”

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

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 cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, and male and female slaves. I’ve sent ⌞these messengers⌟ to tell you ⌞this news⌟ in order to win your favor.’ ”
• Genesis 4:7If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”
• Genesis 23:6“Listen to us, sir. You are a mighty leader among us. Bury your dead in one of our best tombs. Not one of us will withhold from you his tomb for burying your dead.”
• Genesis 27:29May nations serve you. May people bow down to 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. May those who bless you be blessed.”
• Genesis 33:8Then Esau asked, “Why did you send this whole group ⌞of people and animals⌟ I met?” He answered, “To win your favor, sir.”
• Exodus 32:22“Don’t be angry, sir,” Aaron answered. “You know that these people are evil.
• 1 Samuel 26:17Saul recognized David’s voice. “Is that your voice, my servant David?” he asked. “It is my voice, Your Royal Majesty,” David answered.
• Proverbs 6:3Do the following things, my son, so that you may free yourself, because you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Humble yourself, and pester your neighbor.
• Proverbs 15:1A gentle answer turns away rage, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
• Luke 14:11Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored.”
• 1 Peter 3:6as Sarah did. Sarah obeyed Abraham and spoke to him respectfully. You became Sarah’s daughters by not letting anything make you afraid to do good.
• 1 Kings 20:32So they dressed in sackcloth and put ropes around their necks. They went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Benhadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ” Ahab asked, “He’s still alive? He’s my brother.”
• Ecclesiastes 10:4If a ruler becomes angry with you, don’t resign your position. If you remain calm, you can make up for serious 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

• 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