January 12 A READ GENESIS 32–36
Jacob’s Encounter with Esau
OVERVIEW
Having survived the pursuit of his jealous uncle, Laban, Jacob now faces an even greater danger from his estranged brother, Esau. After sending his family across the Jabbok River, Jacob wrestles with the Angel of God until daybreak. God assures Jacob of his continued presence and leaves Jacob with reminders of the encounter: a new name—Israel (“one who fights with God”)—and a permanent limp. Once reconciled to God, Jacob is ready to be reconciled to Esau and to return to Canaan as the vital link in God’s continuing promises.
MY DAILY WALK
David, Jabez, and Jacob are an unlikely trio, rarely mentioned in the same breath. David, the mighty king of Israel . . . Jabez, an obscure figure from the pages of 1 Chronicles . . . Jacob, the schemer-turned-servant. Yet they shared a common experience.
David prayed, “May God be merciful and bless us” (Psalm 67:1). Jabez prayed, “Oh, that you would bless me” (1 Chronicles 4:10). Jacob wrestled with God, vowing, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:26). And in each case, God did precisely that. David’s kingdom enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity; Jabez received from God what he had requested; and in response to Jacob’s petition, the Lord blessed Jacob (32:29).
Is it possible God has a blessing in store for you—in the form of protection (like David), expanded responsibility (like Jabez), or renewed promises (like Jacob)—but that “you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it” (James 4:2)? Use the prayers of David, Jabez, and Jacob to express the desire of your heart. And don’t be surprised when God answers.
ALL BLESSINGS CARRY RESPONSIBILITY, SO DON’T PRAY FOR THE FIRST IF YOU’RE NOT READY FOR THE SECOND.
INSIGHT
Restored Blessing | Gen. 33:16
Having begun with nothing, Jacob amassed such wealth over twenty years that when he left for Canaan, he could afford a gift of more than 500 animals to his brother Esau without straining the family budget (33:8-11). The bounty the Lord had given Jacob helped smooth things over with Esau.
INSIGHT
Four Spiritual Milestones | Gen. 35:15
Early in his life, Jacob encountered the God of his forefathers four times in three different places: at Bethel, God revealed himself to Jacob (28:10-22); at Haran, God redirected Jacob (31:1-16); at Peniel, God restored him (32:24-32); and back at Bethel again, God reassured him (35:1-15).
1*As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him. 2When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So he named the place Mahanaim.*
Jacob Sends Gifts to Esau
3Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in the region of Seir in the land of Edom. 4He told them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, 5and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me.’”
6After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We met your brother, Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you—with an army of 400 men!” 7Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups. 8He thought, “If Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps the other group can escape.”
9Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O LORD, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’ 10I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! 11O LORD, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. 12But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.’”
13Jacob stayed where he was for the night. Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 14200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 1530 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. 16He divided these animals into herds and assigned each to different servants. Then he told his servants, “Go ahead of me with the animals, but keep some distance between the herds.”
17He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: “When my brother, Esau, meets you, he will ask, ‘Whose servants are you? Where are you going? Who owns these animals?’ 18You must reply, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob, but they are a gift for his master Esau. Look, he is coming right behind us.’”
19Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third herdsmen and to all who followed behind the herds: “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20And be sure to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’”
Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” 21So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp.
Jacob Wrestles with God
22During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. 23After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.
24This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27“What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
28“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel,* because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
29“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.
“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.
30Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 31The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel,* and he was limping because of the injury to his hip. 32(Even today the people of Israel don’t eat the tendon near the hip socket because of what happened that night when the man strained the tendon of Jacob’s hip.)