Genesis 32:1-20

When Jacob also went his way, the angels of God met him. When he saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. Jacob’s brother Esau was living in the area called Seir in the country of Edom. Jacob sent messengers to Esau, telling them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘This is what Jacob, your servant, says: I have lived with Laban and have remained there until now. I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. I send this message to you and ask you to accept us.’ ” The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.” Then Jacob was very afraid and worried. He divided the people who were with him and all the flocks, herds, and camels into two camps. Jacob thought, “Esau might come and destroy one camp, but the other camp can run away and be saved.” Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! LORD, you told me to return to my country and my family. You said that you would treat me well. I am not worthy of the kindness and continual goodness you have shown me. The first time I traveled across the Jordan River, I had only my walking stick, but now I own enough to have two camps. Please save me from my brother Esau. I am afraid he will come and kill all of us, even the mothers with the children. You said to me, ‘I will treat you well and will make your children as many as the sand of the seashore. There will be too many to count.’ ” Jacob stayed there for the night and prepared a gift for Esau from what he had with him: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred female sheep and twenty male sheep, thirty female camels and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys. Jacob gave each separate flock of animals to one of his servants and said to them, “Go ahead of me and keep some space between each herd.” Jacob gave them their orders. To the servant with the first group of animals he said, “My brother Esau will come to you and ask, ‘Whose servant are you? Where are you going and whose animals are these?’ Then you will answer, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. He sent them as a gift to you, my master Esau, and he also is coming behind us.’ ” Jacob ordered the second servant, the third servant, and all the other servants to do the same thing. He said, “Say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. Say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” Jacob thought, “If I send these gifts ahead of me, maybe Esau will forgive me. Then when I see him, perhaps he will accept me.”