Then Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. He commanded them, saying, “This is what to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says this, “I have been living temporarily with Laban, and have stayed there until now; I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants; and I have sent [this message] to tell my lord, so that I may find grace and kindness in your sight.” ’ ”
The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps; and he said, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the other camp which is left will escape.”
Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your people, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and compassion and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant. With only my staff [long ago] I crossed over this Jordan, and now I have become [blessed and increased into these] two groups [of people]. Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. And You [LORD] said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper and make your descendants as [numerous as] the sand of the sea, which is too great to be counted.’ ”
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