3 Then Jacob (A)sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of (B)Seir, the (a)country of (C)Edom. 4 He also commanded them saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have sojourned with Laban, and (D)stayed until now; 5 (E)I have oxen and donkeys and flocks and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, (F)that I may find favor in your sight.”’”
6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore (G)he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” 7 Then Jacob was (H)greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies; 8 for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and (b)attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.”
9 Jacob said, “O (I)God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘(J)Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will (c)prosper you,’ 10 (d)I am unworthy (K)of all the lovingkindness and of all the (e)faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. 11 (L)Deliver me, I pray, (M)from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and (f)attack me and the (N)mothers with the children.

Footnotes:

a. Genesis 32:3: ['Lit ', field]
b. Genesis 32:8: ['Lit ', smites]
c. Genesis 32:9: ['Lit ', do good with you]
d. Genesis 32:10: ['Lit ', I am less than all]
e. Genesis 32:10: ['Or ', truth]
f. Genesis 32:11: ['Lit ', smite]

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org