Jacob Fears Esau
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So Jacob went on his way, and a the angels of God met him.
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When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's b camp." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
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Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother c in the land of Seir, d the country of Edom.
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And he commanded them, saying, e "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.
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f "I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that g I may find favor in your sight." ' "
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Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and h he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him."
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So Jacob was greatly afraid and i distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.
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And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape."
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j Then Jacob said, k "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD l who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you':
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"I am not worthy of the least of all the m mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with n my staff, and now I have become two companies.
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o "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and p the mother with the children.
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"For q You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the r sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."'
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So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as s a present for Esau his brother:
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two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
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thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.
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Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves."
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And he commanded the first one, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?'
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"then you shall say, 'They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us."'
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So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, "In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;
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"and also say, 'Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us."' For he said, "I will t appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me."
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So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
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Cross References
Numbers 22:31
Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw ...
2 Kings 6:16
So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are...
2 Kings 6:17
And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, ope...
Psalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those ...
Psalms 91:1
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most H...
Hebrews 1:14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth...
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Cross References
Joshua 5:14
So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?
Psalms 103:21
Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Psalms 148:2
Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!
Luke 2:13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
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Cross References
Genesis 14:6
And the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness.
Genesis 33:14
"Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir."
Genesis 33:16
So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
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Cross References
Genesis 25:30
And Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary." Therefore his name was called Edom.
Genesis 36:6 - 9
Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob.
Deuteronomy 2:5
Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.
Joshua 24:4
To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
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Cross References
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
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Cross References
Genesis 30:43
Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
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Cross References
Genesis 33:8
Then 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.
Genesis 33:15
And Esau said, "Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me." But he said, "What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.
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Cross References
Genesis 33:1
Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.
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Cross References
Genesis 32:11
Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.
Genesis 35:3
"Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone."
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Cross References
Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.
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Cross References
Genesis 28:13
And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.
Genesis 31:42
"Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night."
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Cross References
Genesis 31:3
Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.
Genesis 31:13
'I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family."'
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Cross References
Genesis 24:27
And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
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Cross References
Job 8:7
Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.
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Cross References
Psalms 59:1
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me.
Psalms 59:2
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloodthirsty men.
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Cross References
Hosea 10:14
Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, And all your fortresses shall be plundered As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle - A mother dashed in pieces upon her children.
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Cross References
Genesis 28:13 - 15
And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.
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Cross References
Genesis 22:17
Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:11
And their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man - a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
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Cross References
Proverbs 21:14
A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.