4
He commandedוַיְצַוthem,אֹתָםsaying,לֵאמֹר“Thusכֹּהyou shall sayתֹאמְרוּןto my lordלַאדֹנִיEsau:לְעֵשָׂו‘Thusכֹּהsaysאָמַרyour servantעַבְדְּךָJacob:יַעֲקֹבWith Labanעִם לָבָןI have resided as an alienגַּרְתִּיand stayedוָאֵחַרuntilעַדnow.עָתָּה
Genesis 32:4
Study it in the app“He commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob: With Laban I have resided as an alien and stayed until now.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 32:4, word by word
- He commandedיְצַוyetsav
command
To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".
Where else “yetsav” appears- sayingאמֹרmor
command
To give someone an order with authority, so that it is done.
Where else “mor” appears- to my lordאדֹנִdoni
lord
The one with authority over another; or a respectful title.
Where else “doni” appears- Esauעֵשָׂוesav
Esau
Esau, the elder son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Jacob; also called Edom, father of the Edomites. The name also stands for his descendants.
Where else “esav” appears- your servantעַבְדְּavd
your servant
"Your servant": a humble way to say "I".
Where else “avd” appears- Jacobיַעֲקֹבyaakov
Jacob
Jacob, the younger son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Esau and father of the twelve tribes. In Hebrew "Yaakov" sounds like "heel" and "supplant" (Genesis 25:26; 27:36). God later gave him the name Israel; the name also stands for his descendants, the people of Israel.
Where else “yaakov” appears- With Labanלָבָןlavan
Laban
Laban, brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel, Jacob's father-in-law, who lived in Haran. Also a place in the wilderness.
Where else “lavan” appears- I have resided as an alienגַּרְתִּיgarti
sojourn
To live in a place that is not your own.
Where else “garti” appears- and stayedאֵחַרechar
delay
Delay, hold back; stay late.
Where else “echar” appears
The context
3Then Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau his brother, to the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4 · This verse (above)
5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male slaves, and slave women; and I have sent to tell my lord, to find favor in your eyes.’”
To study Genesis 32 in a group
1. What it says
What did Jacob do before meeting Esau, and what happened to him at the Jabbok (vv. 7-24)?
2. What it means
What is the meaning of Jacob receiving the name Israel (v. 28)?
3. How I live it
What fear can you bring honestly to Elohim in prayer today?