New King James Version
Genesis 32:4
4And 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)He told them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban,
Context of Genesis 32:4
2When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 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. 5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ” 6Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are 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, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ”
- Genesis 4:7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
- Genesis 23:6“Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”
- Genesis 27:29Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!”
- Genesis 33:8Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.”
- Exodus 32:22So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
- 1 Samuel 26:17Then Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”
- Proverbs 6:3So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend.
- Proverbs 15:1A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Luke 14:11For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- 1 Peter 3:6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
- 1 Kings 20:32So they wore sackcloth around their waists and put ropes around their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
- Ecclesiastes 10:4If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries